Not Crazy, Mentally Ill
by Storytellerlover
Summary: Here's where I take a relatively normal OC, throw her into the canon, and see what happens. Read along as Ren, who just wanted normality and has the social skills of a rock, reluctantly gets involved with the gang's antics, starting with Seto Kaiba's new tournament... Battle City! CANON. NO INTENDED ROMANCE. T for swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**You know what, this is the third story that I'm working on and haven't yet published the first chapter (or oneshot) simply because I had another idea with heavy inspiration that forced me to start another one… this one being that "other one"… if any of that made sense, I congratulate you. TOO MANY IDEAS! TOO LITTLE TIME! GAH!**

**Oh yeah, and did I mention that this fanfic is going to be all about the wonders of legitimate insanity? You know, multiple personalities and schizophrenia and all that fun stuff? Yeah. This should be fun. **

**Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will never own the wonderful story that is Yugioh. Only Kazuki Takahashi has the grand ability of saying that he has ownership. YOU ARE AMAZING!**

**Ah, one more thing. If the OC ends up a Mary Sue, let me know. I don't like it when my characters end up Mary Sues.**

**Atem- Like Tink?**

**Me- THAT WAS ON ACCIDENT I SWEAR!**

**Enjoy the story!**

* * *

"Hey, check this out, Ren!" a voice behind me called. I turned my head ever so slightly to see my closest American friend, Austin, leaning over a magazine shelf that the grocery store owners had so conveniently placed in the front of the store. His face was glowing with excitement as he picked up the magazine, and I could have sworn I saw him drooling. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't resist the smile that found its way onto my face.

"What is it now, drool face?" I asked lightly, re-shelfing a book that I'd begun to browse. He turned his head and glared playfully at me before focusing his attention on the magazine once more.

"Just come over here, it's really cool!" he exclaimed.

"Alright, alright, don't get your panties in a wad," I muttered as I made my way to his side. When I bent over to view the cover, I frowned a bit, not sure what I was looking at.

"… So?" I asked.

Austin looked at me with what seemed to be horror.

"So? _So?_ Ren, are you seriously my friend? Why do I even know you?" he ranted melodramatically.

"Because you love me and my good looks," I joked coolly as I turned back to the magazine, ignoring the snort I heard from Austin. On the front was a picture of a teenage boy holding what looked to be a deck of cards in one hand and a trophy in the other. He seemed like a pretty goofy kid, but at the same time there was an innocence that made him cute.

"Nice hair," I commented dryly. How does someone even manage something like that anyway? I doubt that it's real. It looked like a freakin' starfish for crying out loud! Where do people get those kind of wigs?

… Unless he used lots of gel and dye.

Austin rolled his eyes. "You're such a girl. Of course you'd pay attention to his hair!"

"That's sexist."

"Have you even read it yet?"

"…No. His hair's in the way."

"His-! No, never mind, I'm not even going to bother."

I chuckled at his response as I glanced at the headline.

**YUGI MUTOU WINS DUELIST KINGDOM TOURNAMENT AND TAKES THE CROWN AS THE KING OF GAMES!**

"King of Games?" I repeated. "That's a little dramatic, don't you think?"

"I knew it, you are crazy aren't you?" Austin groaned.

"Not crazy… mentally ill," I murmured.

"Look," he said, flipping through the pages until he found the article and read it aloud. "'Yugi Mutou, 15, beats Maximillion Pegasus, owner of Industrial Illusions and creator of the increasingly popular game of Duel Monsters, in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. Reporters say that the only reason that Mutou was invited to the tournament in the first place was due to the fact that he attracted the attention of Pegasus when he beat Seto Kaiba, 16, in a duel prior to the tournament. Seto Kaiba was well known for his talent in Duel Monsters, and his defeat was only the first of Mutou's almost spotless record of wins in the following tournament.' Are you going to tell me that that's dramatic?"

"…Yes," I replied. "On a side note, that article isn't very well written."

"You-! … Ok, I see your point, but aren't you at least impressed?" Austin demanded.

"Have I ever mentioned to you that I'm an Otaku, not a Gamer?" I inquired.

He sighed. "Many a time…"

"Then shut your trap."

"Yes ma'am."

"But I have to admit," I said, glancing back at the article. "Beating an old man at his own game isn't something to sneeze at."  
"That's what-! Dammit girl, you really know how to press my buttons," Austin muttered, pressing his finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose.

"It's what I do."

Austin placed the magazine back on the shelf before we turned and headed toward the rest of the aisles of Kroger (K-ROGER!).

"What are we getting again?" Austin asked, pointing to the list in my hand.

I looked over this list before reading it out. "Fruit, bread, milk, cereal, bakery needs, and my meds."

"Oh, you're out already?"

"Of my meds? Yes."

"Didn't you just get some last week?"

"They have a habit of disappearing and never coming back."

"Right…" Austin ran a hand through his short, brown and blonde hair. "How are you going to get them a month from now? Those were custom-made by your dad, right?"

"I don't know... and I'd really rather not talk about it," I mumbled, raising a weary eyebrow at him.

"Right. Sorry."

"S'okay,"

We split up and gathered the different groceries. He went to the produce and dairy while I went to the bakery and the Pharmacy. Ignoring the odd looks I received from the clerk, I moved on with my shopping.

Austin and I met back up at the front of the store after we bought everything and headed outside to walk to the few blocks back to my house. As I walked, slowly and steadily, I took my time to notice the shape of the oak leaves and the fresh pine needles that hung over the streets. I'd known these trees for nearly ten years. I'd known these old houses that looked to be right out of a story book. I'd known these pothole-filled streets and the many cracks in the sidewalk. I'd even memorized how many of my steps it took to get from my house to the playground just a few blocks away.

I was really going to miss them.

"So when are you going back to Japan?" Austin asked.

_Dammit, am I that readable?_

"In about a month," I replied sadly. "Just in time for the school to start."

"You'd better email me every day."

"I will, I promise."

"How's your mom doing?"

I hesitated. "She's fine," I said a little forcefully. "Just… getting on."

Austin nodded knowingly.

The rest of the trip was fairly silent. The cool, gentle breeze blew through my somewhat long, light brown hair. I'd put it up in a ponytail earlier that day, but they always fall out no matter what I do. The sunlight shone through the leaves of the trees, creating patterns of light across the streets and assorted yards. I sighed. Everything would be different when I moved. I used to live in Japan, but I had been adopted and moved to America when I was six years old. Besides, there weren't very many friends that in turn thought that I was a friend. There were a few, yes, but one stood out. What was his name again? It started with an _S..._

"-en… Ren. Hey, Ren! Where'd you go?"

I looked over at Austin, who was squinting at me in confusion.

"My bad," I apologized. "I was just thinking."

"Right. I forget that you do that."

"Shut it. What do you want?"

"We're at your house."

"…Oh. So we are."

It wouldn't be my house for long.

It wasn't a large house, nor was it too small. It had red brick as the exterior, and a white garage door blinding me with reflected sunlight. It was a one-story, something that I rejoiced for. You know, less floors to clean.

I turned to Austin. "Would you like to come in?"

"Nah, I gotta get home. There's a pile of homework that's not very happy with my epic procrastination skills, and it has my name on it!" he replied cheerfully.

"Good luck with that, slacker," I called after him after he took off. Not turning around, he raised a hand in the air to acknowledge my statement. I smiled after him.

To hell with everything else, I was going to miss _him_ the most.

I breathed in deeply, suppressing the sudden pressure behind my eyes. I'd cried enough over the years. I wasn't going to cry anymore. There wasn't any time for that. I opened the front door and took my shoes off in the foyer before heading to the living room. There, I found my adopted mother sitting in her chair, gazing out the window.

"Hey Mom," I said softly.

"Hmm," she replied, not looking away from the window. I winced. Was there ever going to be a time when I could simply get an actual, worded response from her again? Ever? I glanced at the window. On the glass, someone had placed a picture of my adopted father. It had been his favorite window, although how a window can be your favorite, I had never been able to find out.

After all, he'd died before I could ask him.

Nobody ever saw it coming. Just last year, I came home from school one day, like normal, and waited for my parents to come home. I was watching Darker than Black on Netflix instead of doing my homework when my mother called me on my cell. She was sobbing so hard that I couldn't understand most of what she was saying, but one sentence stood out.

_Your father collapsed._

He'd been rushed to the hospital, but it was too late to save him. Apparently, he'd been suffering from a brain tumor, and the tests indicated it had been months, maybe even years, since it started. He passed away a few days later, my mother clutching his hand, begging him not leave. I was standing near the doorway, horrified. Had he known that he had cancer? If he did, why didn't he tell us? We could have helped pay for some sort of treatment!

Money shouldn't have been an issue. My father was a well off man in the field of psychology. That was a huge reason why he adopted me in the first place. When he came to Japan and visited the orphanage, he saw that I had serious mental issues that needed treatment, but the only way to get it to me as soon as possible was if he adopted me immediately.

But after all that he did for me, as Mom was holding my dying father's hand, all I could do was stand in the doorway, trying to figure out how this happened.

My mother used to tell me to stop blaming myself, that it wasn't my fault. But she would always indirectly mention the fault might be hers. Perhaps she'd tried to take it up into her own hands. Maybe she blamed herself for not being able to take care of him properly. In my heart, I knew that was bullshit. Despite that, months have passed, and she's sunk into such a depression that she won't even take care of herself anymore. I have to take care of the house, pay the bills, make sure she eats, etc. It's tiring.

I sighed before putting away the groceries and heading to my room, my bubble, my sanctuary. Here, I could think peacefully. I could listen to music, read a book, and write a story, you name it.

I could also talk to those confounded people that my brain conjured. No, they weren't imaginary friends. There was no way that I could have consciously created them. When my biological parents died and I had to go through the hell that was an orphanage, they'd just appeared one day.

I might as well tell you what my medical condition is. I have Dissociative Identity Disorder, otherwise known as Multiple Personalities. I also had a slight case of Schizophrenia, so occasionally I could see and hear the other personalities that were present in my mind. It has caused me countless issues in my life, but with the help of my father, I've been able to get through them.

Luckily, I also had my pills, so that wasn't the problem at the moment. The problem was the depressing fact that before month ended, I'd be moving to Japan.

In a pitiful attempt to cheer myself up, I went through all of the memories I had of Austin. When we first met, I'd punched him in the face for making fun of me when I was talking to people that weren't actually there. I'd started to cry when my hand hurt from contact with his abnormally hard skull, and he apologized by giving me his chocolate pudding while still rubbing his bruising temple. That was about eight years ago, just a few years after I'd come here from Japan. Since then, we'd grown inseparable. He'd been there when I was first taken to therapists and prescribed medication for my condition. He'd been there when I'd returned from the asylum that I wound up in after attacking someone… I'll explain that later, but it wasn't actually _my _fault. He'd been there, being the scout for my constant paranoia, an annoying symptom of my condition. He'd even been there when I fell out of all of those trees, laughing when my wrist bone was split in two. He'd come to my father's funeral with me, being the shoulder I cried on and the hand that I nearly broke by squeezing.

Austin was and still is my best friend. I was seriously going to miss him.

Geez, that was an understatement.

I hugged my teddy bear close to me and sighed. This was going to the shortest month of my life.

The next day, Mom didn't get out of bed. This was becoming more of a routine now. It used to be that she would take me school every morning so I wouldn't miss early morning tutoring, but now she couldn't even get out of bed anymore. I would drag myself up when my alarm sounded, and then I'd peer down the hallway to see if her light was on. If it wasn't, I'd sigh and continue getting myself ready to catch the bus.

Breakfast was simple; tea, cereal, toast, and my everyday smoothie (I had to get my nutrients somehow). I dressed in my boyish clothing that consisted of a black, button down shirt with rolled up sleeves, ripped up jeans, and old converse. Screw high fashion, I want to be comfortable.

I met up with Austin at the bus stop. He raised his fist, and I bumped it with mine as our greeting. We stood in silence, waiting for the bus to pick us up. I ran through the mental list of homework that I'd have to turn in today. Satisfied that I hadn't forgotten anything, I sat down on the curb, ready to doze off.

Sadly, the bus came before that could happen. Austin nudged me with his foot, and I groaned before standing up with my backpack and boarding the yellow bus.

When we arrived at school, I took a long look at the old building. It was a smaller structure, made mostly of bricks and stone. There was a hill behind it where the students went to eat lunch under the shady trees or play basketball down the hill on the cemented section. I loved this school, but there were many people who didn't truly appreciate my illness.

I refuse to go into detail, but I actually used to be bullied nearly every day due to my ailment. That is, until I broke someone's arm in self defense.

Heheh, that was a fun day.

School was relatively normal. I went through all of my classes, not really paying attention in some, and paying close attention in others, like History.

Lunch was the same as always. The cafeteria would be way too crowded to even get a mouthful of healthy oxygen, so Austin and I made our way outside to sit under a tree. A couple of other students, who were friends, thankfully, followed us.

"Reni!" a female voice nearly screeched. Hearing my annoying nickname, I looked up to see a rather tall, blonde, angry girl with a pixie cut standing before me with her hands on her hips. After smiling at her Doctor Who shirt, I smirked and readied myself for a yelling session.

"What is it, Kat?" I asked sweetly.

Scowling, she replied, "Why the hell did you not tell me you were moving to Japan?"

Prepared, I answered, "I didn't want to worry you."

"_Bullshit!_"

"Young ladies should watch their mouths, you know," Austin dryly commented, popping a piece of my sandwich into his mouth. Glaring at him, I moved my sandwich away from his greedy hands.

"Shut up, Austin," Kat snapped.

"What she's trying to say," another girl with Asian features and wavy, black hair and a non-caring demeanor interrupted. "Is that she wants to know why you're leaving."

"Hey there, Audi," I greeted.

Audi gave me a quick smile before taking on a serious expression and crossing her arms. "Well?" she prompted.

I sighed, took a swig of water, and launched into an explanation. "Listen, you're aware of how my mom has been acting, right? Or, rather, not acting."

When everyone nodded, I continued. "Before the depression hit, she called her brother, who lives in Japan. I overheard them talking, and it turns out my mom can't stay here where my father's memory is strongest. And apparently my uncle owns an apartment complex, so we've got that part covered. We hope that she can heal more efficiently if she's back where her family is. Unfortunately, I have to go with her."

"But you need to finish school!" Kat protested.

"I'll finish it in Japan, apparently," I replied. "There's a high school there that's pretty decent."

Frustrated, Kat crossed her arms and plopped down in the grass. "You can't just leave us," she pouted.

I grimaced, glancing at Austin, who seemed to find his shoelaces rather interesting. "It's not like I want to go."

"You'd better email us," Audi stated.

"Every day," I promised. Kat sighed and decided to drop the subject.

After that, our conversation turned into one about the latest anime, or a book that just came out, and sometimes even the games that Austin loved so much. I was grateful that my friends had decided not to press the matter of my leaving, even if they were going to miss me. It was decided that there wouldn't be a going away party due to my hate of social gatherings. However, I couldn't persuade them to stay at home the day I was leaving. Instead, they would come and see me off at the airport. Austin was already going to be there, so I guess his presence would help me deal with the goodbyes I was so horrible at.

"Oh!" Kat suddenly exclaimed. "Did you hear about the Duelist Kingdom Tournament?"

"The who?" I inquired through a mouthful of sandwich.

"The Duelist Kingdom Tournament," Austin repeated. "Remember the magazine I showed you yesterday?"

"Oh yeah, you mean the one Mr. Starfish won?"

"His name's Yugi Mutou," Austin pouted.

"Anyway," Kat interjected. "Apparently, right after the tournament ended, Maximillion Pegasus collapsed and was found missing that weird eyeball of his." She pointed to her left eye.

"Did someone steal it?" Audi asked.

"Dunno, but fans of Pegasus are actually starting to blame Yugi Mutou for it!"

"Now why would someone want to steal an eyeball after winning a tournament?" I asked incredulously.

"I highly doubt he did," Austin stated, leaning against the tree. "From the reports I've read on him, he's a pretty trustworthy guy."

I eyed both Kat and Austin suspiciously. "Exactly how are you getting so much info about stuff going on in _Japan_?"

"We have our ways."

"Are they illegal?"

"Possibly."

"Fantastic."

Austin grinned cheekily at me as Kat and Audi began a discussion on some guy named Seto Kaiba… oh yeah, the guy that Yugo- Yagu- uh, Yugi beat. These weird names were going to be the death of me when I went to Japan. I can barely even remember American names straight for crying out loud! Well, it doesn't help much that there are actually names like La-la, pronounced La_dash_la.

Welcome to America, e'rbody.

The land I will soon be leaving behind.

When the bus driver dropped us off at our stop that afternoon, Austin and I walked in silence for a little while. This was pretty normal; however I could sense that something was different. I decided to glance over at my best friend, and I saw that his face was clouded with some emotion I rarely saw.

"Stop being sad," I demanded. Austin looked up and gave me a quizzical look.

"I know you," I told him. "I can tell your emotions, remember? However, _I'm_ supposed to be the sad one, not you."

"You're not the one that's getting left behind," he muttered. I groaned in exasperation.

"Like I said, it's not like I _want _to," I tightened my grip on my shoulder straps.

"Doesn't matter. You're leaving."

I glared at him for a moment, and he held my gaze. After a short period of time, I rolled my eyes before I stopped walking and pulled him into a tight hug. Only slightly surprised, he wrapped his arms around me.

_"Close your eyes and I'll kiss you,_" I sang. "_Tomorrow, I'll miss you. Remember I'll always be true._"

"Dammit, why the _Beatles_?" Austin mumbled.

"_And then while I'm away, I'll write home every day,_" I continued. "_And I'll send all my loving to you._"

"You'd better."

I smirked and pulled away, satisfied when I saw a small smile on his face.

"See?" I said brightly. "I cheered you up."

"No, the Beatles did," Austin argued. I replied by punching him in the arm.

"Shut up you moron."

"I'll miss you too."

* * *

**Fin!**

**Hope you liked it! This seemed a little rushed to me, but that could be simply because I'm used to writing 5,000+ word chapters, and this seemed to be the best way to end the first chapter. Eheheh... Next chapter will be up soon!**

**Critiques? Joys? Flames? Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, there fellow nerds! Here is chapter 2. I do apologize for the slowness of my updates, but just so you know, SCHOOL TAKES AWAY MY INSPIRATION AND IT HURTS.**

**Anyway, if you keep with this story, I think you might like it. I hope, at least. Yeah... Yugi! Disclaimer!**

**Yugi- Storytellerlover does not own Yugioh, or any other anime possibly mentioned in this chapter. In fact, she doesn't even own anything.**

**Me- eeeehhhhh**

* * *

I'd been right. The next couple of months really did go by way too quickly.

My final days as an American were spent trying to enjoy every last minute I could, namely either with Austin or having marathons of anime. Or both. It seemed as though nothing were going to happen at all, as if we'd actually be able to graduate together. But both of us knew that it wasn't the case.

Before I could comprehend it, I was packing my stuff, looking for cardboard boxes, and getting Mom to talk to the FedEx people and immigration services. Apparently they don't take fifteen-year-olds very seriously. Plus, I didn't really have it in me to understand Japanese immigration laws. But then, since Mom had once been a Japanese citizen, would those services even be required...? I'd have to have my uncle explain it to me.

Finally, when Mom and I had packed everything, and our airplane tickets were bought, we spent one last night in sleeping bags in our rooms. The sadness of the circumstances made it seem like I should be crying, yet no tears came. I just became emotionless for the night. Besides, this wasn't the time for tears.

The next morning, I made one last round going through the house to make sure all of the lights were turned off and we weren't leaving anything behind. My room was last to check, and I quietly opened the door to peak through. It was so empty. Like me.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I suddenly made out a small figure. Turning my head, I saw it was a little stuffed animal that must have fallen out of my suitcase. It was a little black kitten my dad had given to me, and I'd used to play with as kid. Smiling fondly, I strode over and gently picked her up (Shadow, I think was her name). I held her to my chest as I gazed around my room once more, desperately wishing this was all just a bad dream.

Unfortunately, the cat didn't meow, so a dream it was not.

Sighing and ignoring the rock in my throat, I forced myself to turn around and head out the door.

At the airport, my sights were graced with that of Austin, closely followed by Kat and Audi. Mom went ahead, and I set down my duffel bag to brace myself for the inevitable tackle hug I'd be getting. Sure enough, Kat's weight was suddenly forcing me backwards.

"Damn it, Reni, I can't believe you're just leaving me like this!' she whined, squeezing me even tighter.

"I'll come back one day, I promise," I breathed against the restriction. "But, you know, plane tickets are pretty expensive…"

"We'll save up for you!"

"Well, goody."

When Austin and Audi finally pried the moping blonde off of me, I took a deep breath and faced them. Audi was patting Kat's back, and Austin had that sad smile on his face that made me want to slap it off. Hard.

It was Audi's turn next to hug me, however brief it was. She gave me an encouraging smile, telling me that she'd miss me.

"I'll be on Tumblr if you ever need me," she told me softly.

"I'll take you up on that," I replied, squeezing her shoulder.

Finally, it was Austin's turn. But he was refusing to look at me, finding the coffee shop close by more interesting. The bastard….

"Hey. Austin," I stated. He obviously heard me, because he bit his lip, but still he didn't look my way.

I rolled my eyes and proceeded with punching him. Square in the jaw. _Hard._

"Ow-!" Austin exclaimed, staggering back a little. "Wha-? _What was that for?_"

"You're pissing me off with that mopey attitude of yours!" I stomped my foot in indignation. "I'm about to leave and not see you again for at _least_ at year and you're standing there not even looking at me! That's not even-!"

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around me. I was stunned into silence, but I knew who they belonged to.

"Sorry," Austin murmured. "I'm just as bad as you are with goodbyes."

Chuckling, I hugged him back. "You're so pathetic. I'll miss you too."

After a moment, I carefully stepped back, trying my absolute hardest not to show the tears that were beginning to pool in my eyes. Really, what was that I said about not crying? _Do. Not. Cry!_

"I've got to go," I whispered, keeping my voice steady. "I'll be seeing you, right?"

"But of course," Audi replied.

"We'll have a Lord of the Rings Marathon in your honor!" Kat exclaimed. "Just make sure your Skype still works!"

Laughing at the thought of watching my favorite trilogy via Skype, I replied, "Hopefully my internet connection won't be terrible."

"It's Japan. Of course it's going to be good!"

Shaking my head, I turned to Austin. He smiled at me, and I returned it.

"Behave, ok?" I told him. "No drugs, no sex, no alcohol, and _no_ picking up strange people, kay?"

"Really, do you think I'd actually do that while you're gone?"

"Excuse me, have we met?"

"Touché."

I smiled at all of them.

"I'd better go," I said. "I love you all, and I'll miss you, and yada yada yada."

When the obligatory "GOODBYE!" was shouted, it took all that I had to turn around and go find my mother, where we would wait for our plane.

The flight wasn't bad at all. I listened to my walkman while my mom dozed on and off. In a few hours, we would land in California to make a switch, and then we'd fly to Hawaii for another switch, and then go straight to Japan. From what I understood, we'd land on Japanese soil in the early hours of tomorrow. So, I contented myself to my music, making sure that it wasn't loud enough to disturb other passengers.

Tired of Linkin Park, whom I'd been listening to for the past half hour, I switched to 30 Seconds to Mars and played my favorite song of all, Kings and Queens. I'd been planning to make an AMV with this song to Fullmetal Alchemist as soon as I got the program decent enough to perform the task. Sadly, however, those programs were more expensive than I could afford. At least my imagination was vivid enough for my own amusement.

After hours of flying and sleeping and trying to entertain myself, we finally reached Domino, Japan. I was peacefully dozing in my seat when the captain came over the intercom and told us that we'd be landing shortly. I blearily glanced out the window and saw the small city of Domino, located just on the shoreline. When the plane landed and they let us off, Mom and I retrieved our suitcases in the airport, grabbed some travel guides, and waited on the curb outside for my uncle to pick us up and take us to our new apartment. As sad as I was to have to go through this change, I couldn't help but be a little excited about living in a different environment. It would take a lot of getting used to, but I was sure that it wouldn't be anything I couldn't handle.

That's when it finally clicked.

We were in Japan. An entirely different country. This was no longer the United States, home of my best friends, Disney Movies, and Doritos Tacos. Nope, this was the place in which I'd have to start all over again. Make new friends? Sure, that wouldn't be too hard. Unless you're like me and have the worst people skills on the face of the planet. Just perfect… What would they think of the Japanese girl who defaulted to America before coming back again? I hoped none of my schoolmates would be too bitter about that atomic bomb incident… of course, it'd be ridiculous to think that I had anything to do with that, but there were ignorant people in America, so there had to be ignorant people here as well. Oh dear, that meant that telling people about my illness would be a pretty bad idea. Not that I was going to, but still…

As we were waiting, and I was in the middle of my inner turmoil, a flash of lightning struck overhead, quickly followed by a crash of thunder. Flinching in surprise, I looked up at the heavens to see ominous dark clouds blotting out the sun. I'm not sure why I hadn't noticed it earlier, but then again, airports are so much of a hassle these days. I relaxed when rain began to fall and trickle down my face. I loved thunderstorms more than most things in the world, even if cold rain did make me sick sometimes. Being the loving and caring daughter that I am, I pulled an umbrella from my bag, opened it, and handed it to Mom. She wordlessly accepted it, not questioning the fact that I'd decided to just get wet. The people around us were scurrying to find shelter from the storm, leaving Mom and me the only ones crazy enough to stand outside. We're such Americans, aren't we?

Another crash of thunder sounded after a flash of lightning, tempting me to cover my ears and avoid damage to my eardrums. Going deaf wasn't really a thing that I had in mind, however much I enjoyed the loud cracking in a storm. When I was kid, Dad had always told me to imagine that the thunder and lightning was made by a lonely child in the sky who just wanted to be seen and heard. When it rained, it meant that the child was crying. So, to make the kid feel better, Dad told me to listen and appreciate the sounds echoing through the heavens. Eventually, if enough people listened, then the child would become calm again and the storm would fade.

I smiled to myself before noticing that a car had just pulled up in front of us, its windshield wipers brushing across the glass at high speed. The front door opened as the trunk was popped up, revealing a middle-aged Japanese man that resembled a great deal of my mother. He hastily gestured to get in the car as he grabbed our suitcases and put them into the trunk. Assuming this was the man that was my uncle, I gently pressed my hand on my mother's back and guided her forward. When the man closed the trunk, he approached us with a beaming smile, ignoring the rivers of water streaming down his face.

"Hello, Manami-chan," he greeted my mother cheerfully in Japanese. Mom simply nodded, displaying no emotion. "Come, get in the car," my uncle urged, nodding at me as he opened the car door to the backseat. I helped Mom climb in before I filed in after her.

When we were all situated in the car, my uncle, who sat in the passenger seat, gave the driver directions and we were off. After a moment of silence, filled only by the swishing of the windshield wipers and pattering rain, the man turned to me.

"You must be Ren," he smiled, holding out his hand for me to shake. "My name is Kurosaki Takashi, but you can just call me Uncle. That's what most of my tenants call me, anyways."

I cautiously took his hand in a firm shake, his name running through my head. _Kurosaki_ was Ichigo's last name, and _Takashi_ was the first name of my favorite host in the Host Club. Maybe I'll like this guy a little.

"Would you mind if I called you Uncle Mori?" I asked casually in Japanese.

Uncle raised both of his eyebrows before laughing, "If you like I suppose. I'm surprised that you actually watch that show. I'd been told that it wasn't as popular in America as it is here."

I allowed myself a small smile. "I'm surprised you got my reference. And it's true that it's not as popular, but the anime fandom is still decently sized."

"Duly noted, Ren-san."

The rain was still pouring when we reached the apartment that Uncle Mori owned. It was a part of a complex that looked exactly like they did in several different animes. Being an otaku, this would make my transition much smoother. The inside was just as simple. The walls were thin, which would take some getting used to if there were loud neighbors, and the floors were covered in the odd matted flooring I'd seen quite a bit. I was alternating between pretending to be Haruhi Fujioka or Hei as Uncle and I lugged our baggage upstairs and to room 302.

As a landlord, Uncle was quite popular. Other tenants occasionally spoke to him, and a few even offered to help us unpack. I let them bring up the rest as I made a temporary bed for Mom, who would undoubtedly go to sleep as soon as she got the chance.

I took the room closest to the kitchen. As I began hanging my wrinkled shirts in the available closet, I listened to the thunder that shook the building with every strike. It surprised me that I was able to stay so calm under the circumstances. I was in a new apartment, new city, new _country_, and I'd soon be going to a new school. I prayed to whatever gods existed that I'd be able to keep up with the language. I may have lived here before, but that was a long time ago, and un-used languages tend to fade. Luckily, my mother is Japanese, and my father, though of German descent, was fluent, so we used to have Japanese conversations every now and then. It wouldn't be too bad, would it?

When all of my clothes were put away in my closet, I moved to the window and inspected it. Seeing that it could open, I pulled up with all my strength. It took a stressful moment, but I made it budge, and up it went. A blast of cool, damp, air flowed into the room, along with the wonderful smell of rain. Through the window, I could see the street, slicked with rain, full of people holding whatever they could over their heads for protection. A limo passed by, and I vaguely noticed that a young man was flipping it off.

How rude. What did the limo ever do to him?

I looked down the street some of the way. There was an interesting sort of building toward the end before a turn. From the travel guides, I recognized it as the Kaiba Corporations headquarters. Huh, the kid billionaire really does have a huge ego. I'd have to refer back to my travel guide to remind myself what exactly he did…

Shivering as another gust of cold wind blew through my damp clothes, I hastily closed the window and undressed, favoring dry sweatpants and a sweatshirt plus wonderfully fuzzy socks. Next, I unpacked my laptop and plugged it in the nearest outlet. With the hope that there was decent internet connection, I pressed the power button and waited for it to load. More than anything, I wanted to text my friends and tell them that I'd landed safely and was at my new apartment, but now that I was in a different country, I was positive that international texting would cost a dollar or two. Or, rather, a few yen. I made a quick mental note to check if Mom already had our currency transferred or not.

In the meantime, while my laptop charged, I wandered around the tiny apartment, taking in all of the aspects and colors. Would our old furniture fit at all? How on earth would we get it all up here? At least our dinner table was small, even though it was the type you use chairs for. Maybe we'd have to switch to sitting on the floor with pillows… Or am I just being weird about this?

When I was walking out of the small dining area, I noticed that the front door was open. Approaching it, I could see Uncle conversing with a few men on the other side of the U-shaped complex. The strange men looked a little intimidating, and the word _Yakuza _passed through my mind. Plus, a troubled expression was adorning Uncle's face. I forced myself to remain where I was based on the fact that I was new here and didn't know anything, but I watched closely in case something happened.

Finally, without any threats or punches, the strange men descended down the stairs and left. I was about to run and pretend I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but Uncle almost immediately caught my eye and headed in my direction. Trapped in a pool of awkwardness, I waited until he crossed the threshold.

"Any potential problems, Uncle?" I asked lightly as he came inside and quietly closed the door.

"Those guys aren't anything to worry about, I assure you," Uncle promised. "They were just looking for another tenant of mine that used to be in their gang."

"Used to be?"

"He quit last year. I promise he's a good kid. His life just hasn't been the greatest."

"If you say so…"

Smiling, Uncle reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. Handing it to me, he said, "This is the key to the apartment. I have extras downstairs, but take good care of it. I don't want an irresponsible teenager in charge of one of my apartments."

"I'll be responsible, Uncle," I promised, taking the key.

After that, Uncle bid me farewell, making me swear that I'd take good care of the apartment and, of course, my mother. I sighed when he closed the door behind him, leaving me in the empty front room.

To fill my time, I began unpacking the bags we'd brought with us. Our other belongings would be shipped to us in a day or two, so the apartment possessed a sad, empty feeling at the moment. The only furniture we had were some futons that Uncle had lent us. Otherwise, all we had were clothes and a few books. There wouldn't be any cooked food until our kitchenware arrived, so restaurants and snack foods would have to do.

Well, looks like it's the start of life in Japan, folks.

* * *

That night, after the darkness crept through the streets and into the house, and the sounds faded away to sleep, I crept into Mom's room to check on her. A candle had been lit and forgotten, casting flickering shadows across the floor and on the walls. As expected, Mom was curled up on the borrowed futon, facing the wall, and the only sign of life was the slow, steady rising of her side. I was about to turn around and quietly head back out, but I was startled when she suddenly turned over.

"Joseph?" Mom murmured sleepily as she stretched, her half-lidded eyes searching my face. Wincing, I shuffled to her side and got to my knees.

"No, Mom," I whispered. "It's just me. I was only checking on you."

"Oh, Ren." Mom let out a long, sleepy sigh as she rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry. Where is your father, anyway? It's always like him to be late…"

A lump formed in my throat. "Mom… he's gone, remember? Dad's not coming home."

There was silence as my mom regarded me with befuddlement and confusion, as if she wanted to argue and tell me that yes, Dad would be home soon. But as she slowly came to her senses, her features gradually fell into the sad, grieving state they had been in before with the realization- no, the remembrance- that her husband was dead. Unable to meet her eyes directly, I looked down and began fiddling with the blankets on her futon.

"Oh," Mom stated. "Right."

The familiar emptiness in her voice clawed at my heart. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Carefully, I stood up to leave, uttering a small, "Good night," as I headed for the door.

"Ren?"

I paused, slightly surprised, before slowly turning my head to meet my mother's gaze. Her eyes were glossy, but no tears flowed. Not yet. She would hold them until I left the room. Even in her shell, Mom was a tough nut.

"Will this ever get better?" she asked softly, her voice threatening to break. "Can we ever go back to the way we were?"

I'd pondered that question many times myself since the funeral. Would it?

"I don't know, Mom," I replied, stroking the door nervously with my thumb. "Only someone like Dad could answer that."

She nodded slowly. Silence stretched before us as I stood awkwardly at the door, waiting for her to say something. Only then did it occur to me that this was the first time in months that she'd ever talked to me. Maybe moving here really would help.

As I waited, I listened to the sounds of the night. There was the occasional shuffling of a neighbor, a random bark of a dog, and the steady murmurs of cars that passed by. The noise behind the silence soothed me a little, steadying me on the feet prepared to escape this suffocating room.

"I think… we can make it… or at least… we can try…"

My head shot up at the sudden statement. Locking my eyes onto Mom's, I was half surprised to find sincerity, and perhaps there was even a hint of determination. It definitely wasn't much, and there was no glow showing in her pale, gaunt face, but it was a start. A smile tugged at my lips as something resembling warmth sparked in my gut. Not exactly a warm, fuzzy feeling, but more like relief from the cold. Whatever road lay before us was foggy and broken, but maybe one day it could be clear and smooth. Maybe.

"Yeah," I replied. "We can try."

My weary mother mustered something resembling a smile, and bidding each other good night, we each went to our own beds.

Day one in Japan: Completed.

* * *

Domino city was like nothing I'd ever imagined. I'd expected something like Tokyo since the population was a decent size and there was apparently a teenage billionaire living right in the middle of it whose name slips my mind yet again… What was it? Kiba? Kibo? Kaba? Whatever. Anyway, as I walked around downtown, I couldn't help but marvel at how… _simple_ it was. I mean, there were a lot of high tech stuff like TVs gracing building walls and posts and billboards (not to mention that there was an odd clock tower in the town square), but it was relatively plainer than I'd imagined.

My reaction? I loved it.

Taking the map out of my pocket, I glanced over all the stops I'd have to make today. Luckily, I wouldn't have to worry about my mom today since Uncle had promised to keep an eye on her while I was gone. As anti-social and people-hating as I could be, I couldn't help but start liking the man.

I squinted at one of the circles I'd made on the map. That was where my new school was. As much as I didn't want to make myself known yet, a nagging voice in the back of my head (that belonged to me and not an alter, mind you) told me that it would probably be the wisest thing. After all, a fair warning for them could save some trouble. Ugh, insanity bites. However, the map I currently had was the most confusing thing I'd ever seen. Where was the freaking map key? And that compass that's usually convenient on a map?

Unfortunately for me, reading the map this intently and walking at the same time usually comes out with terrible consequences.

"_Oof_!" I yelped as I ran into something rather… solid.

"Hey! Watch it!"

I looked up from the ground on which I'd fallen ungraciously. Standing before me was a guy around my age regaining his balance after I nearly knocked him over. He was tall and had a decent build, indicating that he was in shape. His hair was a sandy blonde, and his eyes were a chocolate brown. His blue clothing looked to be a school uniform, although his jacket was unbuttoned and his shirt un-tucked. Shaking his head to clear the dizziness, he looked down and saw me sprawled on the concrete before him rubbing the scrapes on my elbows.

"S-sorry!" I stuttered in Japanese, hoisting myself into a sitting position.

"Eh, no problem," he muttered, shaking his blonde head and holding his hand out to help me up. I gratefully took his hand and let him pull me to my feet. While I was brushing myself off, he took a moment to get a good look at me.

"What were you doing, anyway?" he asked. "Must have been important, unless you enjoy walking into people."

I inwardly smirked at his comment, but kept my face calm as I answered. "Sorry, I was looking at this map." I held it out for him to see. He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh, so you're new?" he asked, taking the map from my hands.

"Yeah," I said sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Well, you don't want that map," he told me, handing back the map. I raised an eyebrow, telling him to continue. He smiled. "You got that at the convenience store just down the street didn't you?" Seeing me nod, he continued. "An old buddy of mine works there. He's a prankster, and makes bad maps on purpose, just to screw with everybody. Where you want to go is the store down that way. It's the Domino Visitor's Museum."

"This place has a visitor's museum?" I asked, a little surprised. I'd only seen those at campsites…

"Yeah," he replied. "It's pretty nice, too. So, what's your name?"

"Ren," I replied before quickly remembering the Japanese name thingy. "Uh, Algren Ren." He frowned.

"A-Ar- Alu… Arugren?"

Stifling a snigger, I repeated slowly, "No. Ahl-gren. Algren."

"That's what I said. Arugren."

"No… that's the Japanese version I guess," I sighed, noting that this may occur again later on.

"Sorry," he said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "English isn't a strong point for me."

"S'ok," I told him, holding out my hand. "So, mind telling me what your name is?"

"Jounouchi Katsuya," he replied, taking my hand in a firm shake. "I take it you _didn't_ recognize me, eh?"

Puzzled, I shook my head. "No. Should I?"

Smirking, Jounouchi said, "Damn right, you should. I'm the runner up in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament!"

"Duelist Kingdom? Rings a bell…" I said, pondering the name. "Oh! A little starfish-haired kid won that, didn't he?" I finally said after remembering that magazine Austin kept ranting about.

Jounouchi stared for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"What?" I demanded as heat flooded to my cheeks. "His hair reminded me of starfish."

"I-if only… he could… hear you… say that… now…" Jounouchi spluttered between laughs. "Sheesh, I was wondering when somebody was going ask about it…"

"Wait, has no one actually bothered to tell him it looks… eh… ridiculous?" I asked rather bluntly.

"Well, it's not that…" Jounouchi began before he paused and glanced at his watch.

"Aw, crud!"

"Late for something?" I inquired.

"And I'm going to get my butt kicked," Jounouchi replied, nodding his head before making to pass me. "I'll see you around, Ren!" he called over his shoulder.

"Uh, yeah, you too!" I called back, watching him until he rounded a corner.

After a few moments, and a few odd stares in my direction for just standing there, I glanced at the map in my hands. Sure enough, the map was a piece of shit. I sighed and put back in my pocket before heading for the alleged Visitor's Museum, wondering if I'd ever see Jounouchi again.

Interestingly enough, his cocky smile and confident attitude reminded me of Austin. Well, I could certainly get used to that.

* * *

After a relatively successful day of exploring- with another map, of course- I headed back to the apartment. Noticing the light was on inside, I concluded that Uncle was still watching Mom. I turned the key and entered, only to pause mid-step.

"Uncle…" I spoke slowly to the man taking stuff out of a box in the middle of the floor. "What's that?"

"This?" he asked, holding up one of the items. "It's your school uniform. I called the school a few days ago to send it, and it came in today."

I took one look at the bright pink blazer he held in his hands. There was also a skirt that would've gotten me kicked out of school back in America lying on the floor. Blinking, I could only come up with one, abrupt response.

"Oh, _hell_ no!"

* * *

**And that's it for now! I should have the next chapters out soon since they're already written, but they need editing... and a lot of it... I'M BECOMING A BETTER WRITER I SWEAR. **

**Oh, and that other story I'm writing? You know, Games, Memories, and Returning Kings? I FINALLY figured out how it's gonna go down. Now I just have to write it. Eeeeehhh.**

**Also, I found the 30 Drabble in 30 Days that I never continued. Woops. Sorry about that. It was one of my less important fanfics that kinda slipped my mind...**

**REVIEW PLEASE. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello there, dear reader! I apologize in advance for the shortness of this chapter. It was actually going to be twice as long, but then it seemed more drawn out so the second half is now going to be a different chapter. Enjoy!**

**I do not own Yugioh or anything that obviously belongs to someone else. I just like making references.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Of course, I would be late for my first day of school.

Then again, tardiness pales in comparison to the fact that for the hundredth time my pills had _gone missing!_

Not to mention that I hadn't taken them in _two days!_

What the friggin hell was the matter with me?

All morning I'd frantically searched for the lifesaving bottle of tablets, praying for some sort of miracle. Going to school without them was highly recommended against, but I couldn't just skip the first day! That's crazier than Austin! Mom was of little help, since she was either sleeping or pretending to sleep in her bedroom. For someone who said she would try to get better... well, she wasn't trying to get better.

A spurge of bitterness passed through my gut, and I had to take a moment to remind myself that she needed time. More and more time.

I turned over the basket of medication, painkillers, etc. in desperation as I continued my search. Where the hell were they? The universe was out to get me, I swear!

Feeling the effects of paranoia beginning to make my heart pound, I forced myself to pause and breathe. Getting worked up over this would not help at all. If I could just stay calm throughout the day, I should be fine, right? Just breathe...

I'd searched every crook and nanny in the house, and nothing came up. Groaning in exasperation, I glanced at the clock, wondering if I should even go to school.

9:32.

Well, that's not horribly late.

Making the decision to at least make an appearance, I rushed to my bedroom and threw on the uniform. It wasn't until I was brushing my hair that I remembered which uniform it was. The pink of the blazer made me wince, and I could tell that I'd constantly be trying to pull my skirt down as far as I could. What a horrible outfit. It may look good on the other girls, but definitely not me. Maybe if the blazer was blue, like the guy's uniform, it wouldn't be so bad. I'd even go for the orange that Uncle told me it used to be. But pink? Blech.

Shaking my head, I reminded myself that at least I'd blend in, more or less. Nobody would be scrutinizing me for wearing the boy's uniform, like I'd begged Uncle for me to do. And no scrutinizing meant less stress for me, which is exactly what I needed, right?

As I was getting my shoes on, hopping up and down to keep my balance, I glanced at the clock.

9:59.

Crap, that's pushing it.

Right before I went out the door, I remembered my mother and I went back to the kitchen and pulled out a notepad.

_Couldn't find my pills again. If you're able, could you stop by a drug store? Love you. _

_-Ren_

I placed it on the kitchen table before finally heading out the door. Today was going to be interesting, to say the least.

Nearly tripping as I rushed down the stairs, I broke out into a run to at least make a decent time. This shouldn't be too far, right? I tried my best to ignore all of the looks I was getting from passerby's, yet couldn't stop the heat that flooded my cheeks with the thought of how much of a fool I looked running as fast as I could in a bright pink blazer.

Still running to the small building that I'd located a few days ago, I told myself again and again to remain calm and to think of stress-free things. Anime, ocean, rain, chocolate…

Austin.

I smiled to myself. If I could just keep him in my thoughts, I should be able to at least keep myself steady. Right. This could work.

No it wouldn't.

Yes it would.

No, it wouldn't.

Dammit, _try_ to be optimistic, would you?

No.

_Sigh._

Soon, I was standing outside Domino High School, panting heavily. That was the longest I'd run in a while, and it wasn't really helping the whole breathe steadily idea. Even so, I had this odd feeling that I'd be running even more in the near future…

I suddenly noticed how quiet it was outside. Of course, all of the students are currently in class right now. Great, now I had to walk in while everyone's busy and they're all going to stare and that would just _add_ to the stress that was already building up.

Now you can be happy that you're not in a guy's uniform, eh?

Shut up.

Stop arguing, you're stressing yourself out.

… Shit, I hope I'm not talking to myself out loud.

Breathe. Just breathe.

_Oooh, breeeaaathe… just breathe,_ I sang in my head. Taking a deep breath, I made my way through the front door.

I managed to find something that resembled an office, and a kind lady handed me my schedule and a small map of the school, saying that since this was my first day I wouldn't be counted tardy. That wasn't really what I was worried about, but it was one less thing.

The school itself was pretty simple. The hallways were nice and clean, and the stairs were easy to find. However, all the classrooms looked alike, and I had yet to brush up on my Japanese numerals. The language itself was no problem since I'd lived here as a kid and my adopted mom is also Japanese and spoke to me in it often… you know, before she stopped talking altogether.

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the classroom door, debating whether or not I should go in. I looked at my schedule to see the room number again, and then at the number above the door, and repeated this action multiple times to make sure this was the right room and I wouldn't make a fool out of myself.

Suddenly, the devastating thought that maybe I was the only one in this uniform flashed in my head. What if there had been a mistake? What if Domino High actually had a normal colored uniform as opposed to pink? Maybe Uncle was just trying to play a trick on me. Shit shit shit…

Inconspicuously glancing through the little window on the door, I let myself breathe a sigh of relief when I saw that half the classroom also adorned the pink blazer.

Ok, now to get inside…

Finally, after several moments of heated inner arguments, I gathered what little nerve I had left and knocked on the door. This seriously wasn't helping me. Not one bit.

I waited with a pounding heart until an older man finally opened the door. _Breathe in… breathe out… breathe in… breathe out…_ The man narrowed his eyes before smiling- or was that a smirk- and allowed me inside.

"You must be the transfer student," he told me. "We don't get many. May I ask why you're tardy?"

"I got lost," I answered simply in my best Japanese, trying to ignore my increasingly unsteady legs. Keep them steady keep them steady keep them steady…

"Try not to do that next time," the man stated before pointing to the front of the room. Then he added in an almost humorously sadistic way, "For your punishment, you get to introduce yourself to the class."

_Oh god no._

I turned around to see that all eyes were currently on me. My breathing quickened, but I forced it to slow down again in case anybody noticed. I can't break down, I can't break down, I can't break down…

As I made my way to the front, I told myself to not make eye contact with anybody. Look at the back of the room. Pretend you're confident. Head up, shoulders slightly back, and body relaxed. Oh, and make your legs stop trembling while you're at it.

You know, I'm not normally a very shy person, but when I'm worrying about the fact that I haven't had my pills this morning or even the previous morning, everything suddenly becomes terrifying. Kind of like when some small object, like a shoe, becomes a huge, terrifying monster when the lights aren't on. _Breathe…_

I suddenly found myself in front of 15 or so teenagers and every single one of them were looking at me. Their eyes were judging, searching for any sign of weakness. I was suddenly Harry Potter in the face of the Ministry of Magic… reminding me of the when I read the series in German. It actually wasn't that hard, since Dad was of close German descent. I brought that book with me from America, didn't I? _Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen_…

This isn't German Harry Potter, Ren. This is class. You're stalling.

In a panic, I said the first words that popped into my head.

"Um, hallo, ich heisse Ren-." _Scheiss, scheiss! Das ist Deutsch, nicht Japanisch!_

There were several confused stares pointed at me, plus a few scattered giggles, and I tried to suppress that fatal bout of panic.

"Sorry," I tried again, not bothering to even attempt a smile. It would look fake anyway. "I'm Algren Ren," I told them, remembering the Japanese naming system. "Um, please take care of me."

I made to sit down in an empty seat I saw toward the back of the classroom, praying that nobody would ask a question.

"So where'd you come from?"

_God damn it._

I looked up, irritation calling me to chew the head off of whoever asked me that, and saw a familiar blond grinning cheekily at me. My eyebrows shot up in surprise, since I never thought that I'd actually see Jounouchi again, but I automatically answered him under the pressure of social rules.

"America, but I was born here in Japan," I told him, finding a little comfort in the cocky smile of his. There were a few flickers of a few students being impressed in the room when I mentioned America, stirring a tiny bit of hope in me. Maybe I could be a little cool just for that…?

"Why did you come back?" Jounouchi inquired, curiously tilting his head a little. My eyebrows furrowed slightly at the more personal question, and I was thinking about retorting something sarcastic when a brunette beside him reached over and smacked him in the head.

"That was rude, Jounouchi!" she hissed. Amused, I decided to answer anyway.

"That is for me to know and you to never find out," I told him. No way was a class I barely knew getting to know the actual reason. He frowned slightly before shrugging and giving me another cocky grin. I rolled my eyes at the calmingly familiar gesture and sat down in the seat in the back when the teacher seemed to be fed up with the conversing.

The rest of the class went by without much incident. From the back of the room, I was able to get a good look at all the students around me, unlike when I'd been standing in front of everybody like a bug under a microscope. Most of the students looked relatively normal, although a few stood out… with their hair. A guy that sat behind Jounouchi had brown hair, but the majority of it in the front came to a single point on the top of his head… kinda like an awkward unicorn. A few seats away, there was a boy with snow white hair that traveled past his shoulders in shaggy locks, although he looked relatively good natured. How long did it take for him to bleach it?

However, the hair that took the cake in the classroom- and ate it- was a kid with hair that resembled a multi-colored starfish. Every now and then he would glance around and I'd be able to see some of his face. The bangs that hung around his boyish face were blond. The majority of the rest of his oddly spiked hair was jet black, although the edges were rimmed with a maroon-ish color.

The weirdest thing about it was that it actually looked good, and I mentally complimented him for being so bold. Although, the more I looked at him, the more his face- and hair- rang a bell… The question was, where the hell had I seen a guy with a starfish on his head? Those can't be too common.

There were two other odd characteristics he possessed. The first was that he was so small. I'd honestly thought he was an elementary kid until I realized that this was freshman class. Then again, he could have skipped all of those grades. The other was the strange upside down pyramid hanging around his neck. From behind, I couldn't really make out any of the details, other than the fact that it was gold and rather shiny. It must be heavy, too. The rope he'd looped it with must rub against his neck with the extra weight tugging at it. As cool as the item seemed, I could not see it as a fashion statement.

Once more, I mentally complimented the boy for his boldness.

I almost jumped when Mr. Starfish turned around and caught me staring at him. As creepy as that should have been to him, he merely smiled politely at me. Not knowing what else to do, I hastily returned it with a nervous smile of my own until he turned back around to continue his work. I breathed a sigh of relief and slumped in my seat.

Wait, were those eyes actually violet?

I made a note to myself to ask him another day.

As lucky as I'd been for the first half of the day, it was lunchtime when the side effects of lack of medication began to set in. And no, the irony was not lost on me.

With a small bag of edibles that I dared to call food, I searched for a secluded area in the school. Maybe it would've been a good idea to find Jounouchi and sit with him, but my social anxiety told me otherwise. So when I found a nice little corner, I plopped down and opened the sack as quietly as I could. Though the halls were quiet, voices of students echoed off the walls from classrooms, and through the windows came muffled shouts and squeals of excited teens. Maybe they were playing basketball. But with every shout, I would think that someone was coming in my direction, and panic would tense my muscles to run. Human contact was the last thing I wanted at the moment. My blood was already pumping faster than I liked, and beads of sweat were popping up on the surface of my forehead. Taking a tentative bite out of my sandwich, I prayed that the food would calm me down a little, like how food somehow cures nausea sometimes.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Dammit, I need my medication.

The rest of the day wasn't any better. I couldn't pay attention to anything that the teacher was saying, or anyone else for that matter. Occasionally, someone would glance back at me with something resembling concern flitting across their faces. My decreasing stability must be getting more obvious. Crap, crap, crap…

Once or twice, I caught Jounouchi and Mr. Starfish checking on me. How sweet of them to be worried about a stranger. Either that or plain creepy.

Anyway, I'd normally be grateful for the genuine worry that my newfound acquaintance was showing. However, in my current state, everything and everyone seemed to be my enemy. They were all out to get me. Was I being followed? Why'd I even come here today? They all think I'm crazy. It's not my fault. It's not my fault! Where the hell are my pills?

Blood pounded in my ears, drowning out the droning words of my teacher. Several times, my stomach lurched in its nauseated state, but I refused to vomit. Not now. Not in front of strangers that searched for weakness in my every move. I had to be strong. I couldn't let them know I was weak. Even if I moved just a little, they'd pounce and I'd be sent away, back to those white walls. It wasn't the walls of the psych ward, since the decorationors were smart enough to make it a warmer atmosphere, but the white walls of the room I was sent to as a child when I acted up and talked to nobody. No, I can't go back to that. Not the white walls.

Not the white walls. Not the white walls. Not the white walls. Not the whi-.

_Does Ren want to come and play?_

My blood ran cold.

No.

Oh god no.

No, no, no, no….!

I nearly fell out of my seat when the final bell rang. Recovering quickly, I sprang from my chair and practically raced out of the room and to the foot lockers. Rushing to find my phone and bag, I didn't notice that the room was steadily filling with more people until the noise was loud in my ears. Pressure built inside my head. Confusion fogged my brain. What was going on? Make it stop!

I scanned the room for a way out. A window? No, a door. Finding one that led outside, I briskly walked toward it, desperate to get away from all those people and the noise.

_Let's play, Ren._

I froze on the porch, eyes wide and fearful.

Not her. Dear god, please not her.

I'm trapped.

I can't breathe.

I can't move.

No, no, no, _no!_

"Hey! Arugren-san!"

Flinching and having to stifle a gasp, I shakily turned around to see Mr. Starfish standing behind me. He wore a slight frown. What was he looking at? Was he going to steal something? Hurt me, maybe?

Mr. Starfish spoke, "Hey, are you alright?" He took a step forward. I took a step back. The upside down pyramid around his neck glinted in the artificial light from the school. The weird eye on it was unnerving me. There was something weird about this kid. There was someone else with him. Another person is there, somewhere.

That can't be right. That's not normal. There shouldn't be two people in front of me instead of one.

What's going on?

Who is this kid?

What's that presence?

He's going to hurt me!

What's that flashing light?

Stop flashing!

Please, _stop it_!

"Arugren-san, are-?"

"Get away," I breathed.

Confused, the kid started to speak, "It's ok, I'm not going to hu-."

"JUST GET AWAY FROM ME!" I shrieked.

Panicking, I turned around and sprinted toward the gate. Once I was through, I didn't care where I was going as long as I could put as much distance between me and the school as possible. I barely heard the shouts of surprise and warning behind me. Someone was yelling at me to stop, but nothing registered in my head as I ran headlong into the busy streets.

I didn't notice anything until I turned my head to see a car coming straight for me. Time froze for a moment. The black car glinted in the sunlight, almost blinding me. I could barely make out the form of the driver, who seemed to be struggling to stop the car.

Too late, I guess.

Time let up again when I felt agonizing pain burst in my upper leg region, and immediately after that my head seemed to split in two as it crashed into the windshield. I vaguely felt the sensation of flying before everything faded to black.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! Aren't I evil with the cliffie?**

**If there were any mistakes toward the mentality of Ren in this chapter, please notify me. I've done research, but I'm not an expert. Eheheh.**

**Also, I think I should have the next chapter up by tomorrow! If not then, then sometime this week! **

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Remember that time I said I'd have this chapter out the day after I updated chapter 3? Yeah. I know. I'm the worst. I'm gonna not make those promises anymore...**

**Yugi- You can't even keep up with your other stories.**

**Me- I KNOW I'M HORRIBLE BUT I REALLY WANT TO FINISH THEM IT'S JUST AAAAAAAHHHH.**

**Yugi- The authoress does not own Yugioh or any other obvious thing.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 4

The first thing I felt was a sharp pain throbbing in my head.

There were voices muttering around me, but they seemed too distant to make out. Who were they? Where am I? Why is my head trying to kill me?

Then I remembered what happened.

Panic surged through my gut, and I struggled to open my eyes. When they finally fluttered open, I immediately shut them against the bright artificial lights of the room and let out a groan as my head throbbed again.

"Oh, you're awake," a voice stated. "The lights must be too bright. Hold on a sec."

I heard a rustling, and when it stopped I dared to open my eyes again. The room was much dimmer now, although everything was blurry. I could make out a woman in a nurse's uniform walking back to my side to check on me.

"Is that better?" she asked kindly.

I tried to open my mouth and speak, but my voice didn't seem to work. Instead, I nodded once, sending another throb through my head. Ow.

"Sorry, you just woke up after going into shock, so it'll be a while before you speak normally again," the nurse told me. "Don't worry; it shouldn't be more than an hour."

Risking more pain, I nodded again. Gah…!

Noticing my discomfort, the nurse strode over to where my IV thingy was and checked it.

"Hmm, I'm going to give you a little more painkiller," she said. "Based on what I've heard, though, you got off lucky. A hit like that would have killed the average man, and yet you managed to get off with just a few injuries. Even so, that was a nasty concussion you got there, and I'm sure your leg isn't much better off."

My leg? I lifted my head slightly to look at it, and sure enough, the left one was elevated on a few pillows and wrapped in a cast and gauze all the way up to the hip from the foot. Now that I thought about it, it was also aching dully. My right leg was also wrapped, but not in a stiff cast. There was just gauze on my thigh, and I didn't miss the dried blood that stained it. Oh great…

After a moment of staring at my injuries- not ignoring the stiffness I felt on my ribs that I assumed was some type of bandage- I noticed that a good amount of the pain had receded. I looked and saw the nurse putting away a bag of liquid that I figured to be morphine. When the nurse turned around, she gave me smile and I attempted something of that sort.

"Alright," she said gently. "I'm going to do the normal check up. Can you move your fingers for me?"

I looked at my hand and tapped my fingers up one by one, and did the same with other hand. She moved on to my toes before slowly working on my limbs. When we were done, the nurse smiled and congratulated me on a job well done. As if I was a little child. Oh well.

"Ren Algren," the nurse murmured. Not yet noticing the perfect pronunciation of my name, I looked up to see that she was glancing through a file that apparently belonged to me. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Joseph Algren, would you?"

I nodded.

"Distant or close?"

I put my hands close together.

"Father?"

Nod.

Smiling, the nurse said, "I thought you had some connection. We've been made aware of your condition, so it can't be coincidence. I read an article about him once. He personally customized your medicine, am I correct?"

Nod.

"Wonderful!" the excited nurse exclaimed. Reaching to touch my hand, she continued, "It's great to meet you! Granted, the circumstances aren't to be desired…"

Well, this was a tad bit awkward. Did she know that my father was dead? From the looks of it, probably not. It wasn't as if I could tell her anyways.

Even so, her remarks reminded me of when I was first adopted. A kind, older face flashed across my mind, and the owner's voice whispered softly, _It's ok. You're coming home with me. You won't be sick anymore._

It takes a lot of guts to lie to a little girl with a messed up head.

What a bitter thought.

"Oh," the nurse said as she was about to leave. "And your uncle is waiting outside. Would you like him to come in?"

My uncle? My mom wasn't here? Huh.

Giving her my consent with a nod, I lay my head back on the pillow as she went outside to fetch Uncle. Mom definitely wouldn't have taken this news well, especially in her current state. Then again, she might have had no reaction at all. Worldly matter seemed to disappear after her husband died.

Feeling the familiar sting of bitterness creeping in my gut, I made myself remember what she'd said the other night, that she would try to get better. I wanted to believe her. I really did. Badly. I wasn't sure how much more of her silence I could take. But even since that night, she hasn't done much out of bed, and it hurt to just see her lie there.

Even so, I sure did sleep well after she spoke.

Maybe I could hold on a little longer for her.

I was interrupted from my thoughts by a familiar face poking through the door.

"Hey, Ren, how you holding up?" Uncle asked as he made his way to the side of my bed.

Forgetting my lack of voice, I tried to speak again, only to have air pass through my throat instead of sound.

"Right, they told you me you might not be able to talk for a while," Uncle muttered to himself. "Well, I should go ahead and say that I didn't tell your mother about all of this." He spread his arms wide, gesturing to the entire hospital. I raised an eyebrow, prodding him on.

"Why, you ask? Simply because in her state, she wouldn't have been able to handle it. I'm sure you've already thought about that, right?"

I nodded slowly, relief spreading through my body.

"She'll know by the time you get home though, now that you're awake and well," Uncle continued. "You're lucky I decided to check on her when I did. She would have never answered the phone when the hospital called her about you. You could have been here alone all night."

I must have grimaced at the bitterness in his voice, because his increasingly sour expression softened as he took my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," he said gently. "I'm sure my sister will get better sooner or later. We just need to give her time, right?"

I nodded slowly, using her words from the other night to push away the sadness threatening to creep into my head.

After that, Uncle told me all about what happened after I was hit by the car. Apparently, it was a limo, and when I heard that, I couldn't help but smile. People don't often get hit by cars, but it's even rarer that the car happens to be a limo. Also, it belonged to that child billionaire named Seto Kaiba. He's the one with the fancy building that owned Kaiba Corporations, right? I had the feeling that instead of him apologizing for running me over, I would be one with the apology for damaging his car- er, limo.

But he wouldn't be the only one I would be apologizing to. A boy had run after me and was in hysterics after he saw me get bulldozed by a limo (giggle), and Uncle described him as a small kid with oddly spiked hair. I immediately knew who he was.

Ugh, I really hoped Mr. Starfish wouldn't peg me out as a freak. That would really ruin my ego if it came from a guy with hair resembling a starfish.

But he'd been the one who first checked to see if I was alive or not while someone called for an ambulance. Uncle explained that the medics told him that the boy refused to leave my side until he was absolutely sure I was safe. When I heard that, my throat tightened a little. What kind of a guy would do so much for somebody who'd screamed bloody murder at him just moments before? It didn't make any sense to me.

Eventually, my eyelids grew heavier and I caught myself yawning. Uncle offered to stay the night with me, but I told him that he needed to go check on my mother instead. I'd be fine in the hospital. It was a terrible lie, but the worry for his sister was obvious on his face, and he bid me goodnight.

And so I spent the night in a cold and strange hospital. At first, I thought I was go nuts from the loneliness and those friggin white walls. The only things I could hear were the beeps of weird machines in the room, some of which were annoyingly connected to me.

Eventually, though, I fell into a fitful sleep with visions of Austin, limos, and the occasional starfish appearing in my dreams.

The next day, I woke up around noon, and Uncle was flipping through a few magazines in a chair by the window. I smiled when I realized that he'd come sometime in the morning to check on me, not bothering to ask why he stayed. He still may be a stranger to me, but I already liked him and his homeliness. It kind of reminded me of the southern hospitality back in America, even though not even Uncle could beat an actual southern grandma baking cookies and fried chicken.

After I was able to hoist myself up, I ate breakfast, went through routine check-ups, answered questions for nurses and doctors, and listened as they prescribed me medication, at which I had to stifle a little groan, ignoring the fact that Uncle was trying his best not to laugh at my situation.

Great. More medication.

Later on, Uncle went back home to check on my mother again. I was reading a book that he brought me- the combined set of all the Narnia books, thank you- when a nurse stuck her head in the room and told me that I had visitors. Frowning, I put my book away and cautiously told her to let them in.

Who would have thought that it would be Mr. Starfish himself closely followed by the one and only Jounouchi?

My mouth must have been open ajar, because Jounouchi laughed as soon as he looked at me.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "You look like you've seen a zombie."

Snapping out of my shock, I immediately retorted, "I thought the term was 'ghost'."

"Zombies are cooler."

I shook my head. He was just like Austin, if not goofier. But why the hell were he and Mr. Starfish here? Were they _that_ concerned? No, people aren't that nice to strangers. There's no way. I tried to figure out any other reason they might be here. Maybe they would taunt me for having a public mental breakdown…

Yeah. That seemed more likely.

When I noticed that Mr. Starfish was staring at me thoughtfully, I snapped from my thoughts and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have school?"

I immediately regretted my sharp tone when Mr. Starfish winced.

"What a welcome," Jounouchi sarcastically muttered, running his hand through his shaggy hair. "We come here to see if you're ok, and you give us lousy hospitality. And we're even in a _hospital._"

"It's ok, Jounouchi," Mr. Starfish spoke softly before turning to me. "We can come back a better time, right?"

He gave me a cheery smile and turned to leave.

"No, wait!" I cried, automatically reaching out with my arm. Both Jounouchi and Mr. Starfish looked back with surprise adorning their faces. Embarrassed, I noticed my arm and pulled it back to its original resting spot. Dammit, why was I cursed with pathological social awkwardness? This just wasn't fair.

"S-sorry," I mumbled, nervously fumbling with the sheets. "I don't normally have visitors…"

Mr. Starfish beamed at my apology. The little shit was too cute.

_Fuck._

"That's okay," he replied, approaching my bed. "And to answer your question, we took a half day at school, so we decided to check on you."

"Yeah, this little guy was constantly worrying about you," Jounouchi added, playfully jabbing his thumb in his friend's direction. "Really, you couldn't have picked a better guy to save your life."

A blush formed on Mr. Starfish's cheeks. "Jou_nou_chi!"

From there he began to protest Jounouchi's tease in an adorable fashion, saying things like, "I wasn't _that_ worried! I mean, I _was_ but-…"

While he spoke, though, I was trying to figure this guy out. First he saves me, and then he worries about me, and tops it off by coming to check on me? What the hell was the matter with this kid?

Well, he sure is a hell of something. My faith in humanity might just be restored.

"… Thank you," I said sincerely.

Mr. Starfish and Jounouchi looked up- Mr. Starfish from his cute, embarrassed rant and Jounouchi from his laughing fit- and smiled brightly.

Heat flooded my cheeks again. "Th-though, uh, sorry about um… what I did…" I spluttered, tempted to dive under my covers to save myself from this social hell.

Mr. Starfish sheepishly waved off that apology. "It's alright, really. I'm just glad you're ok."

"Thanks, Mr. Sta- ah…?"

At my hesitation, Mr. Starfish was at first confused, but he then immediately straightened up.

"I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Mutou Yugi. It's nice to meet you, Arugren-san." He finished his introduction with a nice little bow. I became flustered once more, not being used to being bowed to, but I nodded in return.

Wait a minute.

Yugi?

"Oh!" I exclaimed, my eyes growing wide. "_Yugi!_"

"I was wondering when you would remember," Jounouchi teased.

"Eh?" Yugi piqued, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "You know me? I don't remember meeting you."

"No, no, we never met," I frantically waved my hands. "You were just in a magazine a few months ago. A friend of mine is a bit of a fan of yours…"

Now I knew why he'd looked so familiar when I first saw him. The picture on the front page of the magazine shouldn't have been something so easy to forget, and yet…

Chuckling at Yugi's shocked and embarrassed red face, Jounouchi asked, "So how did you manage to forget about it again in just a few days? I could have sworn you remembered when you recognized me at school."

"Well, I remembered your face and name," I said before tapping my temple. "But my memory is faulty, so that was about it. I probably couldn't even tell you that guy's name with big, fancy building…"

Simultaneously tilting their heads in same direction, they both stated, "Kaiba?"

"Yeah, him."

A slight frown furrowed Yugi's brow. "That was his limo that hit you, you know."

I lifted my head thoughtfully. "That's right. Uncle told me that. How mad was he when I dented his limo?"

"Absolutely furious," Jounouchi grinned. "And it wasn't just a dent, either. You shattered the windshield too."

"Hence this stupid concussion," I gestured to the bandage wrapped around my head. "It's a wonder that I can even make a sentence right now, let alone carry a conversation. But the nurses say that I actually got off pretty easy, what with being hit by a limousine. I hear they can cause decent damage when they're speeding."

That made them laugh a little, and I mentally gave myself a high five. I love making people laugh.

"If you don't mind my asking," Jounouchi shifted his weight when he was done laughing. "What made you… you know… freak out? We're not that scary, you know."

Yugi winced at the question, as though he wished Jounouchi hadn't asked that, and quite frankly I did too. The desire to dive under the covers came over me again, and it took all I had to stay put under their curious stares. I couldn't tell them that I heard voices. How could I make friends if they all thought I needed to be in a psych ward? That doesn't start a very healthy relationship.

So, what on earth could I say?

"W-well," I stuttered, mentally asking Lucy Pevensie for strength and courage. Because really, who better to ask than a small, seemingly timid girl who was able to face terrible danger- though with shaky knees and a trembling lip- and survive a stronger, still small girl?

"It was my first day…" I began again, steadying my breath and fidgeting with the sheets again. "And I'm still new to this country. I didn't know anybody, and I was forced to wear something I'd have been suspended for back in America…"

"You're saying there's something wrong with the uniforms?" Jounouchi interrupted before being shushed by Yugi.

"And, um," I continued. "I've always been socially awkward, so it's terrifying to talk to people I don't know. And also-." I glanced at Yugi and suddenly noticed the weird pyramid he wore. Did he know that it was upside down? Probably, but still… Now that I was able to get a good look at it, I recognized it as a version of the Eye of Horus, and ancient Egyptian symbol of the god Horus. I'm going out on a limb here, but maybe it's from Egypt…?

Right, I'm still supposed to be talking.

"When you talked to me, before I-… you know… I was almost at my breaking point. And for some reason…"

I looked away, trying to figure out what on earth I could say so I wouldn't sound crazy. But they had to know that it wasn't Yugi's fault at all for my screaming and running. The two boys just kept looking at me, curious and thoughtful. Were they judging me yet? If not, they would be sooner or later.

"For some reason," I continued a little more quietly, ducking my head again in embarrassment. "At that moment, it felt as though there was someone else with you, Yugi, but there wasn't. At least, I didn't see anybody. A-and, being so on edge, I got scared…"

There wasn't a response.

Afraid they were horrified by my statement, or judging me, or even hating me, I didn't want to look up. But when the silence continued, I had to force myself to meet their gazes. What I found surprised me.

They were shocked. Surprised, even. But it didn't seem like it was for the reasons that I had been thinking of, if not close to it. That didn't stop me from immediately putting up my defense system.

"I-I mean, I have a pretty active imagination-," I stammered, before coming to a complete halt when I noticed something strange was happening.

Yugi was acting funny.

And not funny ha-ha.

His eyes kept going in and out of focus as well as flitting to the side every so often. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was conversing with someone without actually speaking. It was something that I was rather familiar with, if you must know. My eyes were once more drawn to the pyramid he wore when I saw that he was fingering it, as if subconsciously. There was something fishy about it, and I had a gut feeling it had something to with whatever the hell was going on. Heheh, suddenly I felt like Gibbs. If I had his instincts, I think I'd be famous…

"Yeah, I think it was your imagination," Jounouchi spoke up, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly when Yugi seemed to be shocked by the statement. "Not to be rude or anything…"

"No, no, it's good," I mumbled, fiddling with the sheets again. I glanced at Yugi's odd pyramid again before giving up and sighing.

"This is bothering me," I frowned at Yugi. "What is that pyramid thingy?"

Yugi's eyebrows rose before he looked down at the trinket. "Oh, this? My grandpa gave it to me. He said it's called the Millennium Puzzle." Then, grinning sheepishly, he added, "It took me eight years to solve it."

"… A puzzle? Eight years? I'm sorry, do you have a life?"

Jounouchi, though at first surprised at my bluntness, burst into laughter. There was a distinct blush on Yugi's face, but he smiled and chuckled along with his friend.

Smiling, I took the moment to further sate my curiosity. "Two more questions. Are you wearing colored contacts?"

"Nope," Yugi replied, amusement dancing in eyes. "It's the natural color."

"Uh-huh. Second; how did you get your hair like that?"

Laughing, he answered, "That's also natural."

"I refuse to believe that."

"If it's any consolation," Jounouchi added. "No one else believed him for the longest time. But there's absolutely no hair gel or dye at his place, so everyone just stopped asking."

I stared at Yugi, absolutely befuddled. If what he says is true, then this guy was definitely marked for _something_, and not just winning a duel tournament. Or saving my life, even.

Now that I thought about, though, I _would_ get my life saved by the strangest looking cute kid on the face of the planet. I just wasn't sure how to take that. Whatever god there was must have an interesting sense of humor.

_Thank you, almighty someone, for making my life incredibly strange and random._

"Hairstyles aside, though," Jounouchi continued, snatching me from my thoughts once more. "You're free to hang out with us anytime, isn't she Yugi?"

With a beaming smile, Yugi replied, "Absolutely!"

…

-Buffering-

-Buffering-

-Buffering-

… What?

They want me to hang out with them?

What. The. _Hell?_

"Hey, are you ok?"

I blinked to see Yugi staring at me in concern.

Suddenly I realized my mouth was hanging ajar once more.

"Yugi, I think we broke her," Jounouchi bent over me and waved his hand in front of my face.

I immediately sat up straight and tried to sort through my blubbering thoughts to find something intelligent to say, something that would ease the tension, something that would most definitely _not_ make me look like an idiot.

"Um… _huh?_"

… Nicely done, Ren.

"Ahah!" Jounouchi pumped his fist in the air. "She speaks!"

Yugi smiled at my dumbfounded expression before glancing at his watch. At his furrowed eyebrows, I guessed that he had somewhere to be. Think of something to say before he leaves, Ren!

"Sorry, it looks like we have to go," Yugi apologized before bowing to me once more. "We'll see you soon, right?"

"We better see you at school sometime soon!" Jounouchi added, beaming at me before turning around and heading for the door with Yugi hot on his heels.

"Bye Arugren-san!"

Somehow, I was finally able to find my voice again.

"S-see ya!" I called after them. "And please, just call me Ren!"

Yugi turned around and looked at me in surprise. I'd forgotten how odd it normally is to in Japan to call a stranger by the first name (or was it last name? That one that's not the family name, I suppose). I was about to tell him never mind, don't do that, just be a normal person, but he simply beamed at me once more and nodded in approval.

"Mmh!" he said. "And you can call me Yugi!"

And with that, he and Jounouchi were gone.

When all was quiet once more, I leaned back into the pillow, staring at the ceiling. Silence was once again my company until Uncle Mori returned. Behind the silence, though, I could faintly hear laughter that sounded like Jounouchi. Or maybe that was some other kid. It wasn't like I could actually look through the window and see- you know, being tied down by IVs and stuff like that. But I pretended it was him anyway. He had a nice laugh. And a nice smile. Yugi did, too. They were two little suns that came out of nowhere and somehow made me feel warm and fuzzy.

And with that impossible invitation, I might just feel that more often.

Maybe Japan wouldn't be so scary after all.

* * *

**Hope you liked it!**

**And no, I have absolutely no idea when the next chapter will be out. It's written, but it needs a lot of editing...**

**REVIEW PLEASE. I KNOW YOUR THERE, READING THESE WORDS AND CHUCKLING BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA. *narrows eyes* I'm WATCHING you...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry I'm late! Ah, well, I'm not really _late, _since there was no deadline but, uh, you know what I mean. Anyway, this is a little longer than normal but I like long chapters. Lots of space for things to happen, no? Also, have you ever experienced the creation of a random character or two? Seriously, I just writing and Ren was all by herself with her mom and uncle and suddenly there were five more characters. I love it when that happens. More work, but more fun. Weird.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"And they asked me to _hang out_ with them!"

"The way you put it, it sounds like a terrible awful thing…"

"Wha-? It's not!"

"Then why are you making such a big deal about it?"

After a few days in the cold and suffocating hospital, I had finally been released to the sweet freedom of the outside world and was enjoying spending most of my time in the apartment. I'd wanted to immediately return to school so I could make up for my lost time, but Uncle forced me to stay at home and take care of myself. After all, it wasn't every day that someone was hit by a car- let alone a limo- and it takes a huge toll on the body- I would know, wouldn't I?- so I would need as much rest as I could get. The upside is that I could sleep as long as I wanted and watch as much TV as I could take before the migraines set in. Also, I could spend an almost unlimited time on Tumblr and - again, until the migraines set in-so I was constantly off in my lovely world of Naruto or Ouran High School Host Club.

Unfortunately, I started to get restless after the fourth day at home. None of my favorite fanfics had been updated, and Austin was usually asleep when I was awake- stupid time changes- so I was bored out of my mind. And I'm one of the rare people that _doesn't get bored_. So, Uncle somehow became a source of entertainment. I'd talk to him every now and then when he'd stop by and check up on us. In my useless state, I couldn't really cook for Mom or anything, so he brought food to us and helped keep the apartment clean and would even have other tenants run errands for us. Even though he was still a bit of a stranger to me, I was getting to like the old man a bit.

For one, he'd invited the other tenants to my apartment to have dinner tonight.

_Without_ my knowledge.

It had been a terrible surprise for me when I was simply emailing Austin like I normally do and people suddenly started walking through the front door on which Uncle Mori had _so_ kindly placed a sign saying, "Dinner is here. Come right in."

Which brings us to the now.

"I don't think you understand, Daichi-san," I slowly said to the neighbor I'd been telling the story of my hospital adventure to. "No matter where I am, people just don't _do_ that, especially for an antisocial twit like _me_."

Daichi, a tall, fit man in his late twenties, frowned and shook his head, probably thinking that he wasn't getting anywhere with me.

"Surely you had friends back in America, right?" piqued Ayano as she reached for the curry. I frowned at the nearly empty bowl of curry before replying.

"Yeah, but only three," I said, stirring my bowl of mushroom soup a little to cool it down a bit. "One of them I knew since I was little, and it's always easier to make friends when you're a kid. The other two only became friends with me after months and months of taunting, hair pulling, verbal abuse, and emotional manipulation."

"Aren't you the ball of sunshine…?" I heard Uncle mumble next to me, earning a playful glare from me.

"Were either of those two female, by any chance?" grunted the old man that sat across from me- Gorou is his name, I think.

Blinking, I answered, "As a matter of fact, _both_ of them are."

"Heh, figures," laughed Hideyoshi, Daichi's younger brother.

"Is that sexism I detect from both of you?" Ayano inquired, a threatening eyebrow raised. I mentally applauded the woman for such a frightening face as Hideyoshi and Gorou simultaneously gulped and slumped a little in their seats. At 28 years old, she'd already mastered the '_you're dead'_ look. I guessed it had something to do with the four-year-old boy that I let play with my stuffed animals back in my room. Speaking of which, I _really_ hoped he didn't decide that those toys were fun to rip or break…

"So, little ball of sunshine, when do the docs say you'll be done healing?" Hideyoshi asked, trying his best to ignore the glares of death coming from opposite the table of him. I narrowed my eyes at how he addressed me as I took a sip of my soup.

"About six weeks, give or take," I set my spoon down carefully. "As long as I don't do anything stupid, that is."

"I doubt this guy would allow anything remotely close to 'slightly risky'," Daichi jabbed his chopsticks in the direction of Uncle, who raised his hands defensively.

"Hey, I'm just a little cautious," he pouted.

A snort from Gorou said otherwise.

Ignoring the steady glares between the older men, I reached for a slice of pizza that Hideyoshi had contributed the dinner.

"So, Uncle," I said through a cheesy bite. "When can I go back to school?"

"As soon as the doctors say you can," he replied, not breaking eye contact with Gorou.

"Basically, that means, '_You're staying here as long as I can get away with keeping you here_'," Ayano cheerfully added, smiling even brighter when Uncle's glare was turned on her next.

Biting back a grin, I forced my lips into a pout that I rounded on Uncle.

"The doctor's already released me from the hospital and I've been here for _daaays_," I whined. "I need to catch up on my studies!"

"From what I've heard, you used to want to do anything _but_ study," Uncle pointed out, taking a bite from the pizza.

"Doesn't _that_ sound familiar," Daichi muttered, throwing a pointed look at Hideyoshi, who looked up at the ceiling innocently.

"That was when I was in a boring, American school that's behind in every form of education compared to all the other first world countries," I replied. "Japan is definitely quite the _opposite_."

"Yet I was told you weren't really paying attention very well the first day, wasn't I?"

"That was for a completely unrelated matter!"

There was a moment of silence as we held each other's glare- mine because he _nearly_ stepped the boundary labeled 'Mentally Ill'- and the other four at the table amusingly were watching the small battle with intensity. Apparently not much really happened around here or something (HA! _Lies!_) if they were so entertained by something as small as this. Fortunately, I had learned that if one ever has trouble keeping eye contact, then you simply look right between the opponent's eyes. To them, it's still as if you're holding your gaze perfectly well.

Sadly, the little glaring contest was interrupted by a bubbly toddler.

"Mommy mommy mommy _mommy!_" squealed the little boy as he ran as fast as he could on his tiny legs.

"Judai, sweetheart, I told you not to run and yell inside," Ayano scolded, stepping up from the table.

"But I dwew somethin' weally cool!" the kid called Judai squeaked. "Can I show you?"

Ayano glanced back at us, not really sure what to do. It was my apartment, so I guess she didn't want to waste my time showing me pictures drawn by little kids. When we were silent, mainly for chewing our food, she uneasily turned to her son.

"Well-."

"I want to see Judai's amazing artistic talent," Hideyoshi cut in, having finished his bite, and grinned up at Ayano.

Sighing, Ayano told Judai to get his drawing and show everybody, and he happily obliged by running back to my room.

Taking a sip from my glass, I pondered how the kid had found paper and crayons or pencils in my room. I'd been pretty sure they were on my _top shelf…_

Judai was back within a moment and proudly displayed his picture of a pale blue dragon fighting some purple guy. It was a crude crayon drawing, but everyone at the table applauded and cheered for the accomplishment. Apparently, though, everybody knew what it was he drew, so I just _had_ to ask.

"So… what is it?" I smiled.

Judai- and Hideyoshi if my peripheral vision serves me- looked at me in horror and astonishment.

"It's da Bloo Eyes White Dwagon and Dark Magishin!" the little boy exclaimed.

"Have you been living under a _rock_ or something?" Hideyoshi demanded.

Pouting, I replied, "No, just _on_ the rock called _America_."

Daichi smacked his younger brother in the back of the head, grumbling, "The game only_ just_ became popular anyways. Leave the poor girl alone."

I rolled my eyes, about to take another bite of pizza when Judai suddenly asked, "Oh, and who's da lady back dere?"

Freezing, I could _feel_ the immediate stares in my direction.

"Um, that's my mom," I answered slowly, awkwardly. "She'd be eating with us right now, but she's not feeling very well and wanted to sleep."

Blinking, Judai responded, "Oh." Then his face pinched up in an adorable fashion as the wheels in his head began to turn. Then, when I imagined a bright light bulb and a _ding_, a smile widened his lips and he flapped the drawing in his hand up and down.

"She can have my piktur to make her better!" Judai exclaimed, running up to me and thrusting the piece of paper into my hands. "Gwamma always said pikturs made her feel better!"

Smiling at him and ruffling his brown hair- which oddly had a crown of lighter brown hair at the top- I examined the drawing more closely. It was indeed a light blue dragon- claimed to be white- and a purple person with a funny hat. There was also writing, but I could barely read an American toddler's handwriting let alone Japanese.

"Thank you very much, Judai," I said. "It's perfect."

The kid grinned goofily as his mom took him and placed him in her lap to resume dinner. I put the paper aside and took another bite of my pizza, chewing thoughtfully as I listened to the others.

"Oh, Landlord, Usegi says he's sorry he couldn't show up," Hideyoshi suddenly said, peering down at the cell phone that had just vibrated. "He had some homework to catch up on."

"Well, tell him that I would much prefer that he is up to date on his studies," Uncle replied. "School is important."

I let out a loud, dramatic _cough_, earning a "Bless you," from Judai, a collective giggle from the neighbors, and a sneer from my uncle.

"Come _ooonn_ Uncle!"

"_Later_," he replied firmly.

Pouting, I turned my attention back to my plate as Ayano asked, "What about Hashirama?"

Daichi snorted, "What about him? That old drunk hasn't stepped out of his apartment in months."

"Well, it'd be _nice_ to see him at least _attempt_ moving around a bit."

"Except when he _does_," Gouto added. "Everyone else is generally left in a sour mood, and even the air seems a little tainted."

"Can't you do something about it, Landlord?" Hideyoshi asked. "He makes his own _son_ pay the rent while the old geezer goes off and buys more booze."

Uncle sighed and rested his chin on his hands. "As much as I would love to have the fool pack up and leave, he technically hasn't done anything _illegal_ yet. Now, if the kid starts getting abused, then that's a whole different story, but nothing has happened yet."

"We'll just have to deal with him a little bit longer," Daichi grunted, slapping Hideyoshi on the back.

"As for you," Uncle turned to me. "Hashirama lives in apartment 103, on the other side of the building, and under no circumstances are you to go inside, or even _speak_ to him, is that clear?"

"How drunk _is_ he?" I questioned, putting down my bowl of soup.

"Let's just say he can't even tie his own shoes ninety percent of the time," Ayano answered dryly.

I blinked. Hmm, note to self; don't go to room 103.

I was quiet again when Ayano changed the subject and asked Hideyoshi about college life and if he was succeeding at all. He replied that while his grades weren't almighty, he definitely wasn't _failing_. He went on to describe to me how college life was and how laid back his professors generally were- apparently one of them was dubbed 'Kakashi-sensei', which immediately made me want to skip high school and attend this Domino University just so I could have a class with Kakashi because oh my god it's _friggin Kakahi-sensei-_

Snapping back to reality, I took another sip of my mushroom soup and continued paying attention. When Hideyoshi wasn't directing his story to me, though, I took a moment to look at all the people at the table. I was glad that Uncle had taken the time to introduce me to them, since it would save me the horrifying trouble of having to do it myself.

Right after he finished a story of prank that was pulled on a professor- which involved simply putting a chalkboard eraser above the door to Kakashi-sensei's room- I casually turned to Uncle.

"Speaking of school…"

* * *

"Hey, sunshine, we're here," Uncle patted my shoulder. I blinked, not realizing that I'd drifted off again in the back seat of the taxi Uncle had called. Rubbing my eyes and stretching, I let my uncle help me out of the car and hand me my crutches.

Uncle had finally agreed to take me school, on the condition that I took my pain meds whenever I felt pain and made absolute sure that I didn't do anything to exert myself or bump my leg around or pick any fights or-

"Remember," he said, holding me steady as I situated my bag on my back. "You're arms aren't completely used to having crutches, especially the one that's still strained, so take it easy. And don't worry; I'm sure this whole incident will be forgotten in no time, so no need to stress. Also, try to-."

"I'll be fine, Uncle," I interrupted, shifting on my good foot. "I promise I'll be careful."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Of course, what am I worrying about? Have a good day, sunshine."

I grinned, ignoring my new nickname as he got back into the cab. When it drove off, I turned toward the school, carefully balancing on the crutches with more weight on my right, uninjured arm. The school hadn't changed at all since my accident, not that I was expecting it to be. However, this time, since I was early, there were a few students hanging around outside. I recognized a few from my class, including the one with the bleached hair, but I made no attempt to socialize. Having just returned from hospitalization and bed rest, I'd long since decided to stick it out alone for a while until I was invited by someone else. Which reminded me that I actually _had_ been invited.

Huh.

Instead, I crutched over to the front door, stopping only to look up at the building again. Shaking my head of the nervousness that threatened to turn me around, I lifted my crutches only to freeze at a gruff voice.

"You're in the way," it snapped.

I frowned and turned my head to see a towering young man with neat, brown hair and an icy blue gaze. He was young, but he wasn't wearing the school uniform, nor did his clothing suggest he was a teacher. Instead, he looked like a guy with a lot of money in the dark violet suit of his… and the pointy shoulder pads almost made me giggle. So what was he doing here? Raising my eyebrows at his remark, I thought he must have been joking. However, when his face showed no trace of humor, the thought vanished like the sun on a rainy day.

"Sorry, sir," I told him, lifting my broken leg to show him. "It may be a moment." I was about to move out of his way when he narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh, it's _you_."

"Yes, _me_," I allowed my snarkyness to say. "Now, would you be so kind as to tell me who you are? I don't think I've met you."

The rude boy snorted. "No, you haven't. I would have preferred it if you kept it that way." Ignoring my stupefied expression, he graciously made his way around me, careful not to bump into me as if I were some diseased dog.

Recovering quickly, I called after him, "It's rude not to introduce yourself, you know!"

Once again, I was ignored. I stamped my good foot in indignation. What kind of a bastard would be so condescending? Ohohoho, that guy was in for some _serious_ karma…

Some small little voice in the back of my head mumbles something about being a hypocrite about being condescending.

Well, _oops_…

Still seething but not wanting to continue blocking the entrance, I hastily made my way through the door to find my classroom again. The hallways were as confusing as ever, but in my hospitalized state I found that I had enough time to brush up on my Japanese numerals (funny, they look like the ones in English) and rediscovered the simple, phonetic alphabet called Hiragana in which each character represented a combined consonant-vowel combination to make sounds and in turn make words. Truthfully, I'd only been so worried about the written language because of the dreaded Kanji. Ooooh, Kanji. It was probably one of the most difficult written languages since there were thousands of characters that demanded memorization, memorization, and more memorization. Which wasn't exactly a strong point for me. At all. Luckily, even though they were obviously leaps and bounds ahead, there were some Japanese students that had trouble with Kanji, too, right…? Anyway, unlike last time, I was able to read the numbers and names on the plaques beside and above doorways. When I reached the class that was labeled 1-A, I smiled at my newfound ability and shuffled inside.

I was mildly surprised to find Jounouchi and Yugi already in the classroom, sitting in a couple of seats by the window. I looked around and found that the room was empty, save the two. I was about to slink away to find an isolated corner, but my presence was apparently rather noticeable, much to my dismay, for Yugi almost immediately looked up from what he was doing and smiled.

"Good morning, Ren!" he greeted. I managed a smile.

"Good morning, Yugi, Jounouchi," I replied.

"Eh? Oh, good morning," Jounouchi spoke up, finally turning from whatever was on his desk. I allowed myself a chuckle and crutched over to their side. On the desk was a bunch of cards with illustrations that would have made so many anime artists jealous. Some depicted characters while others had pictures of objects or mildly disturbing scenes.

"So… what's this?" I ventured to ask.

"It's called Duel Monsters," Yugi answered, drawing a card from a small stack to his right.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of Duel Monsters!" Jounouchi looked up from his cards in astonishment.

"Ok… I won't tell you I've never heard of Duel Monsters."

"…You've never heard of it, have you?"

I looked up at the ceiling in thought. The name sounded familiar, and the brown backs of the cards were ringing distant bells. I was willing to bet that Austin would know something along the lines of this.

"It's vaguely familiar," I said slowly. "Did it have anything to do with the tournament you won?"

"It has everything do with that tournament!" Jounouchi exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air while still holding his cards.

"Duel Monsters is the game that was used in Duelist Kingdom," Yugi explained more calmly. "There were a lot of great duelists there. I'm guessing you've never played?"

I blinked and shook my head.

"Well then," Jounouchi clapped his hand to his chest. "Let the proud Jounouchi and the famous Yugi teach ya how!"

"Another time perhaps," I carefully sat down in a desk next to them. Yugi glanced at my leg, and the grimace that graced his features didn't pass my notice. The question was practically begging to ask itself as I set the crutches next to me…

"How are your injuries?" he asked. I suppressed an eye-roll.

"They're fine," I replied coolly, taking my bag from my shoulders and placing it on the floor. "I'm still getting used to the crutches, and my leg gets sore every now and then, but the doctor says I should be walking normally again in no time!"

"Don't you have to do physical therapy?" Jounouchi questioned, placing a card facedown and flipping another. I watched as he pointed to that card and then to another right in front of Yugi, who picked up the card in question and placed it elsewhere.

"Yeah," I answered as Yugi scribbled a few numbers on scratch paper. "Three times a week, actually, but it shouldn't be too bad."

"I hope not," Yugi said, drawing a card from his deck. "Though, since it was Kaiba's limo that hit you, will he be paying any of the expenses?" He placed down two cards, pointed to one, and then to another in front of Jounouchi. Then, Yugi tapped yet another card before pointing directly at Jounouchi, who groaned and placed a few cards in front of his deck before scribbling a few numbers.

"My uncle says that Mr. Kaiba would be paying about 60 percent of my medical bills, give or take," I replied.

"Whoa, that's pretty generous for Rich Boy," Jounouchi commented, his eyebrows high on his forehead, before studying the cards in his hand with serious intent.

"I'm guessing you know the guy?" I inquired.

"Well, that's _one_ way of putting it," Yugi remarked, amusement flickering through his features. "It's your move, Jounouchi."

"I _know!_ Give me a moment!"

Yugi shook his head, a smile playing at his lips. "I consider Kaiba a friend of mine-."

"Please," Jounouchi interjected, his face scrunched up in a scowl.

"However, he doesn't really see it that way," Yugi continued, ignoring his friend. "He's a little proud…"

"More like an arrogant, obnoxious, pain in the ass son of a bitch," Jounouchi muttered.

I quirked an eyebrow.

"Jounouchi and Kaiba never really got along that well," Yugi explained.

"That's an understatement."

"Jou, it's still your move."

"… So it is."

I curled my lip in amusement as Jounouchi laid down a card, facedown and sideways, before calling the end of his turn. Yugi smiled, turning over one of his facedown sideways cards to reveal what looked to be a white ninja. Jounouchi groaned again and put his facedown card to the side before leaning back, as if waiting for something.

"Jounouchi, my White Ninja attacks you directly, and that's the end of the duel," Yugi declared. I blinked at the first verbal move. Had Yugi seriously just won with a White Ninja? Jounouchi was shaking his head in defeat.

"One day, Yugi," he stated. "There will be a day when I actually beat you!"

"I'm sure that will happen eventually," Yugi told him encouragingly as he cleared off the desk. "You just have to keep at it."

"You're the King of Games, aren't you?" I asked. A glimmer of hesitation flicked across his face, but because it was such a small instant I figured it was my imagination.

"Yes, but only because I was lucky," he replied, putting his cards into a bag. I turned to the moping blond.

"Jounouchi, you're screwed," I said bluntly.

"Tell me about it."

BRRRIIIIING.

I flinched at the blaring of the bell. There was an almost instantaneous shuffle of bodies outside in the hall as students filed into the building and found their way to their classroom. Our class was soon filled with chatting teenagers, gossiping about the latest news and whatnot. There were a few nervous glances in my direction, as if I was expected to have another breakdown. I'll admit, the added persons in the room began to unnerve me a little, but that could easily be blamed on my generally anxious nature. To combat the issue, I put an image of Kakashi Hatake in my head… Hmm, hello there Kakashi-sensei.

"Arugren-san, you're back!" a female voice cried. I winced in surprise before turning my head up to see a familiar brunette girl staring down at me with sincere happiness and awe in her eyes. Giving her an award winning grin, I nodded.

Smiling back, the girl told me, "To be honest, not many people were expecting you to come back."

"Yeah, after a breakdown like that, I don't think I could _ever_ show my face again," Mr. Awkward Unicorn said bluntly as he sat down behind Jounouchi.

"_Honda_!" Miss Brunette hissed before turning back to me. "Ignore him. I'm Mazaki Anzu," she bowed. "But you can just call me Anzu. And the blunt guy with the pointy hair is Hiroto Honda, and you can call him Honda." He bowed when she finished introducing him. "It's nice to meet you. I'm really glad you're back."

I smiled again, bowing a little in return. "I'm glad to be back. It's good to know that people here are accepting of psychos."

"Believe me, Ren," Jounouchi spoke up, leaning back in his chair. "We know a psycho when we see one."

I didn't miss the shudder that had Anzu's shoulders tremble for an instant. Looking over to see Yugi frowning at his puzzle, I wondered vaguely what Jounouchi meant. However, I wasn't able to ponder the thought, because the teacher walked in and began calling roll. For the rest of the day, I made sure I focused on everything the teacher said so I could at least make a good impression this time. I could only hope that they would ignore my first day here and pass it off as a nervous child freaking out… which I kind of was anyway.

At lunch, I was about to head over to somewhere quiet to eat. As kind as my new friends were being, I didn't want to impose on them. They could be having a marvelous time without me, anyway. However, I wasn't far when Yugi called me over. He told me that he and the gang would be eating outside, and he invited me to join him. Touched, I couldn't refuse, so I followed him outside.

As we reached a little circle of familiar faces, I couldn't help but feel a little elated that I already had people that I could possibly consider as friends in the future. Perhaps they could even consider me the same. Although, the thought of friendship always reminded me of Austin, which shot a pang of homesickness through my stomach. Stupid Austin… always reminding me that friendship is _magic_…

"- and so, Superman trumps Batman through and through," Jounouchi stated firmly as we approached. "There's no way a human could beat a flying guy with super strength, laser vision, super speed, etc.!"

"I'm just saying, man," Honda argued as I sat down next to Anzu. "What if Batman brought Kryptonite?"

"Then Superman would have Wonder Woman carry it off for him," Jounouchi replied, taking a bite of a sandwich. Honda shook his head in frustration.

"There's no reasoning with this guy," he said wearily.

"Bruce Wayne could always file a lawsuit against Superman for wearing his underwear outside his pants," I suggested as I unpacked my lunch box. "I'm sure that's illegal somewhere."

As the group laughed, I smiled to myself. Bless the man who gave me a good sense of humor.

"So, Ren," Jounouchi began after swallowing a bite of his sandwich. "You're from America, right? How long are you planning on staying?"

"Until I graduate, I'm sure," I replied, checking the expiration label of my chocolate milk. "Of course, it's possible I could move back to the states, if I can convince a few people."

"Like who?" Anzu asked.

"Hmm, my mom, my uncle, the Japanese government, the American government… immigration's a bitch like that."

"Watch your mouth, young lady," Jounouchi mock scolded, wagging his sandwich at me.

"So why did you come here in the first place?" Yugi asked. I paused before taking a swig of my drink. Placing it down next to me, I pondered whether or not I should tell them the truth. I'd only just met them, after all.

"Family issues," I decided on the vague truth. "It took a bit out of my mom, and she grew up here in Domino so we decided to move back."

"I see," Yugi said softly. "I'm sorry about your family. I hope they get on well."

I waved off his sympathetic apology. "Thanks, but it's no biggie."

"On the bright side, though," Jounouchi stated proudly, thumping his fist to his chest. "You get to hang out with us! We're the cool people!"

"Since when are we considered cool?" Honda questioned.

"Since always, you moron."

I laughed at his enthusiasm. "There is that."

The rest of the conversation went well, and I dared to find myself enjoying my newfound acquaintances. Like I'd said before, it was never easy to make friends through pleasant circumstances. Though, I wouldn't say that getting flattened by a limo is considered _pleasant_. On any note, they seemed to like me anyway, and Jounouchi and Honda decided to take turns playing with my crutches and pretending to be crippled.

By the time we went back inside for the rest of the school day, I was in a rather light mood. The classes went by without incident, though I was constantly getting odd glances from other students. The teacher- or, uh, sensei- wasn't hard on me due to my tardiness in the school year, and I think I even managed to get on his good side. Points for the House of Algren.

According to my newfound friends, though, I'd apparently lucked out. Not too long ago, they'd had a lady teach- agh, _sensei_- that had been dag-nasty _evil_. She'd allegedly taken a certain satisfaction out of humiliating students in front of the class- when I asked if something had happened to them in particular, Honda, Jounouchi, and Yugi simultaneously shifted, coughed, or awkwardly rubbed the back of their neck. Had she still been here, it might have gone pretty bad for me.

Ah, the joys of luck.

Jounouchi left early to take care of some stuff at home, and took a scolding from our tea- _sensei_- as he took off for the door. I watched him go, a little bit of disappointment coloring my gut. Maybe someday we could walk home together or something. He really was someone that I'd like to hang out with, so I was determined to become good friends with him.

So, as I was retrieving my shoe from the foot lockers, I was surprised when Yugi came up to me instead and asked, "Would you like me to walk you home?"

Blinking, I answered, "Uh, sure." Uncle had told me this morning that he and mom wouldn't be home when I got there, so I'd reluctantly told him that I could walk all the way home by myself. Now, however, it would be _much_ better to have someone walk with me.

Anzu joined us too- apparently she and Yugi normally walked together- and after we waved goodbye to Honda, we set a slow and steady pace. Anzu and Yugi asked me miscellaneous questions, like where do I live, how I get on at home, who I live with, and things like that. They weren't really probing questions, so I answered them all truthfully, and found myself enjoying the walk home.

When we were passing the park, however, something a little strange happened.

"_Mmmrrroowwwww!_"

I blinked in surprise and looked up into the tree that the mewl had come from. It was a rather tall tree- oak, I think- but not un-climbable, and about fifteen or twenty feet up I could make out the fuzzy outline of a black furry creature.

"It's a cat!" Anzu gasped.

"And it decided to climb a tree," Yugi added, craning his neck to get a better look.

"Hate it when that happens," I muttered. "They never really know how come back down."

"_Mrrrrroooowww!_"

"What? You don't!"

"_Mrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooowww!_"

"Are you talking to the cat?" Anzu gave me a funny look.

Still peering at the kitty, I answered, "They have feelings too, you know."

Anzu shook her head as Yugi had a bit of a spasm in his throat that sounded like a mix of a cough and a laugh- I had a sneaking suspicion he was trying _not_ to laugh- and she asked, "So what are we going to do?"

"We could leave him, let him find his own way down," I suggested.

Another _mmmmrrrooooww_ that sounded like a protest graced our ears.

"I thought you cats were supposed to be smart!" I called to it.

"I'm not sure we should," Yugi grimaced. "He could starve up there."

"Birds live in trees," I pointed out. "And squirrels."

"But they're not going land on a branch that a cat's sitting on," Anzu countered.

I frowned and looked from Yugi to Anzu and back to Yugi. It was obvious that they wanted to help the cat, even though they were known for having the instincts to get themselves back down. Then again, they were also known for staying stuck up in a tree for days at a time, too scared to even move. And the more I looked at Yugi's face, the more I could see that he'd made a decision. A very noble, brave, and probably _stupid_ decision.

Ah, _hell._

* * *

**Hope you liked it! I sure did.**

**And was that the Judai that we all know and love? I'll let you all figure that one out. *insert evil grin***

**Please review! I do love a good review. Tips would be nice as well, and don't worry about this silly thing called pride. **

**Happy Reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Remember when I updated regularly and often? Yeah… neither do I. **

** Also, have you ever regretted giving a character a certain trait? **_**Why on earth did I give Ren a severe mental illness that I barely understand? **_**Too late to go back now, I suppose. Don't hate me please. In fact, if you'd like, send me as much advice as possible. I'm just a silly little girl pretending she knows everything. Eheh. But I love Ren too much to stop now, so enjoy.**

** Oh, and because it's been so long, I will go ahead and upload the next chapter. It's finally at the canon!**

* * *

"That was incredibly stupid, Yugi, you know this, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you bear full responsibility of nearly giving Anzu a heart attack?"

"Of course."

"Not to mention almost soiling her undies."

"_Hey!_"

"Yes, I bear responsibility for that too- _ouch!_"

I snickered as Yugi sheepishly rubbed his side from where Anzu had hit him with her purse. We were on the way back from the rescue mission that Yugi had taken upon himself. There had been a cat stuck in a tree, and Yugi immediately whisked off to borrow a ladder. While I'd been trying to convince that no, this is actually a stupid idea let's get somebody taller to do it, Yugi politely ignored me and continued to climb up the tree to fetch the poor cat.

Funnily enough, Yugi fell out of the tree, cat in hand, and Anzu had gone frantic. Just as Yugi was climbing down and almost back to the ladder, the branch he stepped on snapped in half and he plummeted to the ground. Anzu fussed over him for ten minutes while I'd taken it on myself to look over the snarling cat. It's quite amazing how protective she is of her friends, almost as if she's the mother of the group.

Don't be the moron that messes with Mama bear.

"By the way," I peered at the cat that Yugi was now holding. It seemed calm and content in his arms if the purring was any indication, even though it had attempted to rid me of any skin when I'd taken it from the stunned Yugi. "Do you feel any guilt for forcing me to take responsibility of this stupid cat?"

"I thought you said you liked cats," Yugi pouted.

"I do, but not usually enough to take one home with me."

Yugi and Anzu looked guiltily at the ground. Neither of them were able to take the cat home with them since Yugi's grandfather was apparently allergic and Anzu's mother for some reason hated cats. So that left me, since none of us had any desire to condemn it to the pound. It took a lot of convincing for me, though. I like cats, but I never bore any desire to own one. My dad was a big fan of cats, though, so my respect for them was considerable.

I looked back at the cat. After a brief examination, we'd concluded that it was male, and he was so scrawny that we could distinctly see his ribs. His fur was completely black, save for the dirty patches from living on the streets. There were scars scattered across his back and his face, as well as a few tears in his ears. I could also count the bones in his ribcage and rump. Really, this was one shitty cat to find. And for some reason he has taken to the opinion that I am Satan and will bite me every time I touch him. However, taking note that a cat can sometimes be therapeutic- even though I'm withholding judgment- maybe Mom will like him…?

Dammit, I _never wanted a cat._

But now it seems I'm stuck with one.

_Bollocks._

"I suppose I can make an exception though," I amended. Yugi and Anzu simultaneously brightened and smiled at me. "But only if you help me with the cat food and such."

"Of course!" Yugi cheerfully agreed.

"You're going to have to take it to a veterinarian though," Anzu told me, shifting the cat in her arms. "He could have any kind of diseases. And since he bit you, you should probably go in for a check-up too."

"Yes, mother, I'll do that," I giggled at her scowl. I looked at the cat again, narrowing my eyes when he opened his and growled at me.

"Oh this will be _fun…_" I muttered, turning my head and crutching my way down the sidewalk.

* * *

"Alright, little kitty, we can do this the easy way, or we can do this the _hard _way," I spat irritably. The cat under the couch hissed and spat back.

I was back at home in my snug apartment. The walk home with Yugi and Anzu was rather enjoyable, minus the rescue mission. We talked casually, and there was no judgment towards me for my complete blowout the first day, nor for my snarky-ness. What can I say, when you have a guy like Austin as your best friends, you tend to develop a significant amount of snark in your daily dialogue.

Now, however, I was unfortunate enough to bear responsibility for a cat.

Soon after they'd left, I'd hobbled my way over to the kitchen, cat in hand, and plopped him in the sink. At first, he'd looked at me with such innocent, questioning eyes, but as soon as I'd turned on the water those eyes instantly turned to malice, and he dashed in between my arms to make an escape. I'd attempted to grab him, but this damned cat had _claws!_

For the past hour, I'd been trying to grab him and put him back in the sink so I could wash the filth out of his fur and check for fleas and other creepy crawlies. Several times already, I'd had to stop to put a band-aid on fresh scratches gushing with blood. When I'd decided to take this rotten vermin into my home, I never expected him to hate me! And he's not the only one who will feel this way later. When Uncle comes back with Mom and sees that the creature I'd adopted has gotten mud all over the apartment he'd lent to us, he was sure to throw a hissy fit (no pun intended).

"Damn it, cat, you need to get _clean_," I hissed. "I'll be executed and eaten for dinner if my Uncle finds a _rat_ in his apartment."

The cat hissed again.

"Alright, sorry, you're not a rat."

"_Mrrroooww,_" he growled.

"What?" I demanded, staring into the glowing eyes of the partially hidden kitty, who stared back with something of an evil glint. I sigh in frustration.

"Fine," I shifted on my belly so that my weight was on my elbows instead. "How about, instead of using the hose-," _hiss_ "-I instead use a wet towel? That way, you'll only get damp and not soaked."

"_Mrroow?_"

"It won't hurt a bit, I promise."

Although I was pretty sure I'd convinced the cat it wouldn't be hell on earth, he didn't move an inch.

I let out a frustrated sigh as I heaved myself up into a sitting position, waiting for the cat to come out on his own. Though he'd been pretty calm when Yugi or Anzu was holding him, he'd taken a turn for the worse when I came in the picture. I had the feeling that this cat was going to be on hell of a handful.

_Tch, how troublesome_, I borrowed from Shikamaru.

Breathing slowly to calm my nerves, I glanced at a picture on the shelf that hadn't been there this morning. It was of Dad in a leather jacket, dark jeans, and combat boots. Yes, my dad was _cool._ Although people think it's weird to say it, I can seriously see why Mom married him.

Suddenly, it occurred to me that Dad had a thing for cats. He seemed to always know how to calm a stray down when he would occasionally bring one in. Though they could be rabid little creatures, Dad would manage to turn it into a sweet little kitten after just a few minutes so he could examine it. Seriously, he could have been a veterinarian if he wanted to. I could remember there had once been a cat that had nearly lost her leg when she'd been hit by a car. Dad said it was a miracle she was still alive when he found her. The cat was a beautiful calico, but she was incredibly defensive and gave me two scars on my hand among the many others on my body. However, when Dad approached her, she seemed to calm down almost immediately, as if he were some sort of cat god. Like Bast.

I suddenly became aware of the rock forming in my throat. Usually, that was a sign of tears to come. I swore loudly and shook my head, trying to keep to the promise I made a while back that I wouldn't shed another tear for as long as I live. Crying was weakness, wasn't it? I had to be strong. Not just for me, but for my mom too. I had to be strong. I _had_ to be…

I nearly jumped when I felt something with warmth and mass crawl into my lap. Rubbing my reddened eyes, I looked down and found two golden eyes gazing back up at me with a questioning look, obviously not caring that he was getting dried mud all over my uniform.

Laughing a broken laugh and sniffing, I managed to say, "You're one hell of a puzzle, aren't you, little kitty?"

The tiny cat purred.

I sat there for a little while, eventually enticed to scratch behind the cat's ears for a bit. He even began to purr, oddly enough. That is, until a knock at the door startled us both.

I jumped up with a yelp, ignoring the cat's mewl of protest, grabbed my crutches, and headed for the door. When I opened it, I was greeted by a loud cheer and a hug around my waist.

"Nee-chan!" Judai exclaimed.

"H-hello there, Judai," I spluttered, looking up at his mother in confusion. "Can I help you?"

Ayano smiled apologetically. "Sorry, but Judai lost his Kuriboh doll, and we think he may have left it here the other day."

I blinked. "Oh. I'll help you look. Come on in."

As they crossed the threshold, Judai gave me a quizzical look and said, "Why are you all dirty?"

I looked down at my uniform. Sure enough, there was dried mud all over it, and when I looked closely I could see that some of it had rubbed off onto Judai.

"Sorry," I told him, going into the kitchen to fetch a towel. "My friends found a cat and told me to look after it."

"Does the landlord know about that?" Ayano asked, peeking around the corner to look at me.

"… Not yet, no." I dampened the towel under the faucet and gingerly began dabbing it on Judai's shirt.

"Hmm," Ayano remarked. "Well, would you like me to take a look at it? I'm working on my Doctorate as a veterinarian."

I paused mid-dabbing and looked up in astonishment. "D-doctorate?"

"Yes. Has Uncle not told you that?"

I shook my head while Judai began fiddling with the wet spots on his shirt.

"I see," Ayano frowned. "We'll have to fix that. So would you like me to take a look?"

"That'd be great, thanks," I beamed gratefully. If there were such thing as happy coincidences, this would be one of them. How convenient that my neighbor is a veterinarian.

I handed Judai the towel and told him to hold it carefully before straightening up and heading toward the living room. I scanned the room for the black mass of fur, but with little success.

"Perhaps he's under the couch?" Ayano suggested as she got down on her knees and peered under. "Ah, there you are."

"It took me forever to get him out the first time," I mumbled as I awkwardly crouched next to her. "I don't think he likes me much."

"Just give it time, I suppose."

"Or I could give him to somebody else," I tapped my chin. "Would you be interested?"

Ayano looked away from the cat and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, but we couldn't come close to affording one right now. I _am_ on a contract made by Judai to present him with one before his tenth birthday, though."

I sighed and half-smiled, "That's alright, I suppose. Now how to we get him back out?"

Ayano frowned and cautiously reached her hand under the couch, making soft, cooing noises to try to calm the cat. I watched for about ten minutes as she gently enticed him to come out, and gawked when he poked out his head and butted it into her hand.

"Why am I the only one he doesn't like?" I pouted.

"I'm trained to handle cats," Ayano giggled, tickling under his chin. "Like I said, just give it time."

I grunted and heaved myself up and fetched Judai, who'd wandered into the living room to watch his mom. Scanning him for more dirt, I took the rag out of his hands and patted his head.

"Is that a kitty?" he asked, pointing at the cat.

I nodded, "Yep, and I have to take care of it."

"Mommy, can we keep it?"

"No."

Something akin to a cough came up my throat as I stifled a giggle. Judai pouted, and I patted his back sympathetically.

"Sorry, kid," I told him. "Let's go look for your Kuriboh."

We searched all over the place, including the kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and finally, my room. We avoided my mother's room since I didn't like the idea of Judai poking around in there. I pulled out quite a bit of my old toys and shuffled through them, wondering if I'd put it there by mistake.

"Oh where, oh where, has Kuriboh gone? Oh where, oh where can he be?" I sang to myself. Judai giggled behind me as he picked up a stuffed bear and began playing with it. "With his limbs so short and his fur so long, oh where, oh where can he- ah-_hah_!"

I spotted a brown, furry object lodged between my dresser and the wall. Pulling it out, I had Judai confirm that it was, in fact, his missing Kuriboh.

"Yay! Nee-chan found him!" Judai cheered, throwing his doll in the air. "Woohoo!"

"Now sweetie," I poked him in the forehead. "We know that we shouldn't shove precious things behind furniture, hmm?"

"Yep yep! No shoving!"

"Good job."

Judai rushed out of the room to show his mother our findings. I smiled and heaved myself up to follow him. When I got to the living room, Judai was happily twirling around with Kuriboh, making noises I could only assume a Kuriboh would make.

"Cute," I commented, leaning on a wall to observe Ayano.

"Ain't he a doll?" she remarked, not looking up from the cat. "Shouldn't you sit down or something? That leg won't heal if you keep standing on it."

I hummed in agreement and plopped myself down on the couch in front of her, putting my injured leg on a stool.

"So what have you found?" I asked, looking at the mess of a cat.

"He's as healthy as a feral cat can be," Ayano responded. "Nothing too serious, but he's malnourished and dehydrated. And I'm sure you've noticed the scars. He's also got a few fleas, which can be remedied. I'm a bit worried if he's been internally damaged, or that he's contracted worms or other parasites, so I can take him down to the clinic and get him checked out, if you'd like."

"Really?" I was taken aback by her offer. "Um, that'd be great, thanks."

"No problem," she smiled at me. "So, have you named him?"

"Uh…"

Not wanting to look a fool, I quickly thought about all the cats from stories I loved. There was Muffin from the Kane Chronicles… but that was a girl, and Muffin? No. Um. _Uh…_

There's a cat in Darker than Black. He's my favorite cat ever. What's his name…?

"M-Mao…?" I said uncertainly.

Ayano snorted. "Mao? _Seriously?_ That means _cat_ in Chinese, you know."

I blinked and rubbed my neck sheepishly. "Didn't know that…"

"But if that's what you want to call him," Ayano shrugged and scratched under his chin. "I'll take him down tomorrow while you're at school, if that's alright with you."

"Sure, that'd be great," I grinned.

Suddenly, I heard the doorknob turn and the door squeak open, and I turned to see Uncle and Mom standing in the doorway. Uncle's expression was a mixture of surprise and confusion when he noticed the cat in Ayano's arms.

"… Hey Uncle," I said nervously, gesturing to the cat. "Meet Mao."

* * *

"So your uncle let you keep him?" Anzu asked, shoving some of her bento in her mouth.

"After a long debate and utter exhaustion, yes," I replied, tempted to rest my head in the crook of my arm. I really didn't want to be a school right now, not when I'm so tired. I'd been up late trying to figure out where Mao would sleep and not get fleas everywhere. "Not to mention the begging and pleading of a four year old."

"Why was there a four year old?" Yugi asked, tilting his head in an adorable fashion.

"He's my neighbor," I waved my hand. "And he really likes cats, for some reason. Oh, and he's a _huge_ fan of Duel Monsters, too. He even has his own Kuriboh plushy."

"How _cute!_" Anzu giggled.

"What's cute?" Jounouchi asked as he and Honda pulled out some chairs to sit by us.

"Ren's neighbor," Anzu explained. "He and Yugi might get along _perfectly!_"

Yugi's cheeks became bright crimson in a matter of seconds. I clapped my hand to my mouth to keep the squeal of laughter from escaping. "I'm not that great with kids…" he mumbled.

"Oh posh," I poked him.

"Yeah," Jounouchi added, popping some of Anzu's bento in his mouth. "They'll probably think you're one of them."

"Jou_nou_chi!" Yugi pouted.

"Point made," Honda chuckled.

"You can stop teasing Yugi, now," Anzu flicked Jounouchi in the nose. "It's bad enough that he's tiny without you making fun of him for it."

"_Anzu!_"

I laughed that retarded laugh that doesn't have a sound and leaves you clapping like a dumb seal and gasping for breath. Sleep deprivation can sometimes do that to you.

I really enjoy sleep, you know? Maybe I can take a nice nap sometime soon. Or now. I have time before class starts again, right? A snooze never hurt anybody.

Until somebody knocked on my head to wake me up.

"Wakey wake- _ow!_" Jounouchi cried, pulling his hand back and grasping it.

"Sorry," I mumbled sleepily. It was habit. I'd grabbed his finger and pulled it back until near-cracking point. It'd worked on Austin many a time. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"So you try to break my finger?" he demanded.

"I said sorry."

"Yeesh."

"What kept you up?" Honda asked.

"My new cat that I'd been guilt tripped into keeping," I narrowed my eyes at Yugi and Anzu. They shifted in their seats uncomfortably and avoided my gaze.

"Care to share?" Jounouchi asked curiously.

"Not particularly," I yawned. "Mom seems to have taken a bit of a liking to it, so I can't really complain much. My neighbor took him to the clinic today, so he should be less messy when he gets back."

"So he's okay?" Anzu asked.

"As okay as a feral can be," I borrowed Ayano's words.

"That's good," Yugi smiled. "Maybe after school we can all go to the pet store and buy him some food and supplies."

Anzu brightened at the idea of shopping and immediately whipped out a notebook to list things that a cat would need. We all chipped in on suggestions. There was the obvious, like food, food and water bowls, litter and litter boxes, and perhaps a toy or two to keep him occupied. Yugi threw in the idea of a little bed so he could sleep comfortably, which I prayed he would actually use. I smiled as Jounouchi actually thought hard about it, and felt a warm, tingly feeling inside when I realized that my new friends were actually willing to go out of their way to help me out. Of course, it could simply be that Yugi and Anzu felt guilty, but I somehow knew that it wasn't just that at all.

Friendship is magic, isn't it?

I narrowed my eyes at the triumphant laughter I could just imagine hearing from Austin for admitting that.

Stupid brony.

* * *

The trip to the pet store was successful. We ended up able to pay for it all, which made me incredibly uncomfortable that they would actually spend so much money for me. I began making plans to sneak some yen into their wallets or pockets if I had the chance.

Before we left, Jounouchi got a call and told us that he had to get home as fast as he could. He looked pretty uneasy, but just smiled and told us everything was fine, no need to worry. So we reluctantly let him go alone and back to his place.

"Think he'll be okay?" Anzu asked.

"It's Jounouchi," Honda sighed, scratching his head. "He's a big boy."

"Honda's right," Yugi said, though he looked pretty uneasy himself. I wanted to ask why they all looked so nervous, but I didn't pry. It probably wasn't any of my business.

So we parted ways, bidding each other farewell, and headed home.

That night, I put away all of the cat supplies, and Ayano brought Mao over, telling me that he was free of parasites, but that she wanted me to give him antibiotics twice a day, just in case. She gave me the bottle of pills, and I later put duct tape on the lid labeled "CAT". I didn't want to mix it up with my pills, okay.

As I was setting up Mao's new bed- which I was almost certain he wouldn't use- I heard Mom step out of her room. Looking up, I saw that she was in her pajamas and looking a little dazed, but a little more alert than she normally was.

I smiled, "Hey, Mom. Did you need something?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, I'm just getting some water," she said, her voice steady and sweet. I nodded and continued my work.

Then, Mom let out a gasp.

I was immediately in the kitchen, "What's wrong?"

She pointed, "How did that cat get in?"

I looked and saw that she was pointing at Mao, who just yawed in some form of acknowledgement.

"That's Mao," I said gently. "He's our new cat. Remember? We don't have to keep him, you know. My friends just asked me to, that's all."

Mom relaxed at my explanation, "Yes, right, sorry, I remember now. I'm still waking up I suppose."

"So… are you okay with a cat?" I asked uncertainly.

"Of course," she replied, squeezing my hand. I was about to smile and thank her when Mao padded up to us and rubbed against her ankles. She was a little startled, but her face softened as she bent over to pick him up.

"He's very cute," she murmured, tapping his nose and smiling a little when he purred. "What's his name again?"

"Mao," I replied. "It's silly, but I couldn't think of much else."

"Well, he certainly is a mao," she giggled. I gaped. That was the first time I'd heard her giggle in… well, a long time. Then I smiled.

"Yeah, he's a cat."

Later that night, after we'd all gone to bed and I'd finally reached comatose, flashing lights invaded my vision behind my eyelids. Irritably, I groggily pulled them open, only to flinch at the sting of post-waking. Blinking it away, I looked out my window and saw that there was indeed, flashing lights. But I was startled to see that they were red and blue and _not_ friendly looking.

After debating whether or not to go back to sleep and ignore the world, I sighed and pushed back my covers. Stumbling around in the dark for my crutches, I blearily made my way to the front door and cautiously opened it.

As I poked my head out, I noticed that Uncle was in the courtyard talking to some police officers. I spotted Hideyoshi and Daichi off to the side. There was someone else with them, but I couldn't see his face. Daichi had his hand on the strange man's shoulder, as though consoling him for something, and Hideyoshi was speaking to him. As I debated going outside and asking what was wrong, I felt something soft around my ankles. Looking down, I saw that it was Mao. He looked up at me and meowed.

"What?" I mumbled. "Don't want me to go outside?"

Mao's tail flicked and he rubbed himself around my ankles again. I sighed, leaned my crutches against the wall, bent over, and picked him up. This time, he didn't bite or scratch me. He simply settled into my arms, as though I were any normal person.

The sound of footsteps graced my ears, and I looked up to see Uncle climbing the stairs. He had a grim look on his face, and I was reminded of when the gang members came by just a couple of weeks ago.

"What's going on?" I asked, keeping my voice quiet.

"Remember when I told you to stay away from room 103?" he asked. I nodded, stroking behind Mao's ears. "The man that lives there, Hashirama, has been arrested. That's his son over there," Uncle pointed to the stranger with Daichi and Hideyoshi.

"What did Hashirama do?" I question, looking at the police car.

"He was especially drunk tonight," Uncle sighed. "The rest, I don't think I'm at liberty to say."

I nodded. "I get it."

Mao meowed, and I tapped him on the head.

"You should get back to bed," Uncle said, reaching to pet the cat. Mao let out a purr and butted Uncle's hand. "You have school tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah," I shifted Mao in my arms and looked at the stranger, whose face I still couldn't see. "Give him my best."

"Will do," Uncle nodded. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

And with that, I climbed back into bed and fell into a blissful sleep.

* * *

** Okay, so this was kind of a filler chapter. But it wasn't that bad, was it? I just **_**really**_** wanted Ren to have a cat. Who knew it would be this exhausting. It took me at least five or six rewrites of this chapter to get it done, and I still don't like the beginning much. Fun fact- the cat was originally in a sewer, but I changed it to a tree. So yay.**


	7. Chapter 7

** Here's the very first canon-related chapter. Hope you enjoy! Warning- this is the second chapter I've posted today. If you haven't read the one before this, I suggest you go back and do so.**

** Also, I would like to tell you that I've spent all weekend writing a future chapter (bad me). It's the Bonds Beyond Time part of the story. I know, it's not exactly canon, but I decided to have fun. And it's almost 10,000 words long. Oh the joys of writing.**

** Anyway, this is a little short. Sorry about that.**

* * *

I woke up to the taste and texture of a cat's pelt on my tongue. Oh, and I also couldn't breathe.

With a start, I shoved Mao off of my face and bolted upright, coughing up all the loose fur from my mouth. Mao protested with a series of mews, and I responded by glaring daggers at him.

"Stupid cat," I muttered, wiping my face of more fur. "I should box you up and send you to America. Austin would have a ball."

Mao only blinked at me as if saying, _Yeah, you try that darling._

Rolling my eyes and contemplating murder, I glanced at the clock. It was half an hour until I'd have to get up, but thanks to a certain devil's spawn I probably wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anyway. With a heavy sigh, I pushed back my covers and tossed Mao off the bed. I smiled when he let me know he was less than pleased.

Hmm, that could be taken as an abusive relationship.

In my defense, he _did_ almost suffocate me in my sleep.

It had been a few days since I'd taken Mao into my home, and we'd had the weirdest love-hate relationship. Sometimes he'd happily sit in my lap and let me pet him, and other times he'd growl and swipe at me every time I even went near him. In which case I'd tap him with my foot just to spite him. He never really appreciated that.

I shook my head and rolled out of the heaven that was my bed. As I stumbled while dragging my bound leg to the door, I began running through my normal list of reasons as to why I hated morning so much. Lack of sleep was reason number one. Reason number two: I really like sleep. Reason number three: I hate my cat. Reason number four…

After I'd put the kettle on for tea, I shuffled over to where my laptop reigned and turned it on, basking as the sound of my connection to a better place roared to life. Oh internet, how I love thee. Let me count the ways…

I blinked in the sudden artificial light, and a few minutes later I found a few emails from none other than Austin. One of them was one that was sent over a week ago and I'd forgotten to reply to. Clicking on it, I giggled at his message.

_You're gone for less than TWO WEEKS and you have the _gall_ to get run over by a CHILD BILLIONAIRE'S LIMOSEINE? What the HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, REN. And what are you talking about knowing the _King of Games_, eh? I call bull. Nobody who won that much money would still be going to school. Ask the guy who ran over you. I bet you haven't seen HIM sitting in class all day long when he's basking in greens and coppers and silvers._

Well, at least I could safely say that I can still get on Austin's nerves from thousands of miles away.

Clicking the reply button, I wrote back:

_What can I say; trouble has a fancy for me. I'm THAT attractive. And I'll have you know that the _King of Games_ happens to be the guy that called an ambulance for me. And now we eat lunch together every day. Let me know when the envy starts boiling your blood, alright sweetie? I can send pictures if you like. (Also I'm not quite sure what money you're talking about. He doesn't look like someone who'd be filthy rich.) As for the billionaire, he's paying most of my medical bills so HA. _

_ By the way I have a cat now. I was guilt tripped into keeping it. It's the devil's spawn, I tell you. HELP._

Once I'd clicked send, the kettle started screeching and I was hopping on one leg to the kitchen to shut it up.

_I really want to go back to bed now…_

* * *

After I'd made breakfast and taken a shower, I was on my way to school. While the walk was exhausting due to crutching, it was quite enjoyable. I even made it there on time.

Keeping a lookout for a starfish head, I made my way inside and sat down in my desk as everybody filed in. I closed my eyes and dozed against the steady murmur of chatting and gossiping and such. If I could just get a little more sleep I think I'd-.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty."

I snapped my eyes open and found myself looking into the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. Really, what is it with Domino City and unusual eye colors? Is there some sort of non-lethal radiation going around and mutating the gene pool?

Ren, darling, you read too many comic books.

I blinked again, and focused on the face rather than the eyes and- _why is there a supermodel in my presence?_

"Did you have a nice nap?" the supermodel purred.

I gawked, trying to keep the heat from flooding my face. The man before me was absolutely gorgeous. He was slim and his face sharply defined as if carved by a sculptor. He had ebony black hair that was pulled into a ponytail, but had the decency to let his bangs be free and outline his face. And like I said before, his eyes were super green, kind of like an emerald. _We're off to see the wizard…_ Those same eyes had a very flirtatious twinkle and _ohgodtheywerelookingatmewhatdoIdodon'tbestupid-._

"Uh, hi," I blurted.

_Oh my god REN YOU'RE AN ABSOLUTE BAFFOON. _

"Hello there," the angel replied, a smirk forming on his face. "I'm Otogi Ryuji, it's a pleasure to meet you. And what might your name be?"

_If you blush, I swear to-_.

"A-Algren Ren," I responded, feeling as though I were being boiled alive. "Nice to meet you."

"RYUJI-KUUUUN, COME OVER HERE!" some girl across the room squealed. Otogi glanced over to the source of the voice, and the smirk on his face widened.

"Coming ladies," he drawled, flipping his hair dramatically.

I blinked, the realization of just what was happening dawning on me. _Oooohhhohohoho… _

"I'll be back, Ren-chan," Otogi winked at me.

Finally gaining stable ground, yet with a small flip of the stomach, I gave him my best smile, "Oh, no, that's fine. Enjoy the fangirls."

It was his turn to blink, but he covered it up with a smile and waved as he turned to his increasing hoard of fans.

I let out a long sigh. My hopes of actually socializing with a beautiful man just got crushed by a large, Thor-worthy hammer. As I busied myself with contemplating how I would steal that hammer and destroy my enemies with it, I spotted the starfish and the gang I'd been looking for.

"Hey, Yugi!" I called. He turned and beamed when he saw me.

"Ren, how are you?" he asked.

"Fine, how-."

"Ren," Jounouchi interjected with a deadpan face. "You do realize you're in the wrong classroom right?"

Blinking, I looked around. Sure enough, I'd never seen these students, before. "Huh," I felt the oncoming rush of embarrassment heating my face. "So I am. Then what are you guys doing in here?"

"Well-," Anzu began before a collection of squeals sounded from across the room. We all glanced over and saw the superm- uh, Otogi doing tricks with dice whilst impressing the female crowd. "_That._"

"Who the hell is he?" Jounouchi asked when Otogi flipped his hair in a sexy manner- _I swear to god Ren_.

"He's the guy that owns the new game shop," another student- male, I might add- answered.

"New game shop?" I echoed, ignoring the urge to look at the sex god again.

"Yeah, haven't you heard?" Honda quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Still new here," I waved at him.

"What does he think he's doing, flirting like that?" Jounouchi grumbled, glaring at Otogi. "I _hate_ guys like that…"

"Only because you can't get any girls yourself," Honda patted Jounouchi's back sympathetically.

"Shut up," Jounouchi retorted. "That guy's a show off. I bet I have more talent in my left pinky than he'll ever have!"

I glanced over at Otogi and noticed that he was regarding Jounouchi with interest and… annoyance…?

I decided I really didn't like this guy much either.

Ignoring Jounouchi's and Honda's bickering, I turned to Anzu. "Why do all the good looking ones have to share themselves with everybody? Hardly seems fair."

Anzu frowned and looked at Otogi. "I see what you mean. He's hum-uh-nah worthy."

Snorting, I laughed, "Hum-uh-nah worthy? That's new."

"So did he flirt with you too?" Anzu gave me a sly look.

"W-well, yes…" I twitched. I could hardly believe I'd looked like such a bloody moron… Hell, I'm so angry that I'm using British terms. _God save the Queen…_

I glanced back over and noticed Otogi was standing up.

"Alert, alert," I mumbled to my new friends. "Permission to access escape pod."

"Granted," Anzu whispered.

I heaved myself to an upright position and crutched myself away from the pheromones. On my way out, I tapped Jounouchi's shoulder and whispered, "You da man." I almost giggled when he straightened up with pride. Honestly, _men…_

I glanced at Yugi and noticed the uneasy look on his face. But like the coward I was, I left and went to my actual classroom.

In retrospect, I'm glad I didn't witness what Jounouchi told me all about the next day.

* * *

"He made you wear… a dog suit."

"Ren, please don't remind me."

"He made you… wear a _dog suit._"

"Ren what did I just say."

"He _seriously_ made you wear _a dog suit_."

"_Yes_, Ren, now will you _please_ stop making me relive that."

"You're just mad because he turned you into a furry."

"Shut up, Honda."

I'm glad I found these friends.

* * *

I walked home by myself, not wanting to trouble Yugi and Anzu with my presence again. Opening the door, I called out, "I'm home," not really expecting an answer, but pretending like I would.

"Welcome back," Mom responded from the kitchen.

I jolted my head up in surprise. I hadn't expected her to be out of bed. Taking my shoes off and slipping my bag to the floor, I crutched over to the kitchen to see what she was doing. A smile crept over my face when I saw that she was making tea.

"Hey Mom," I greeted. "You're awake."

"I'm glad you noticed," she remarked, stirring milk into her cup. "Takashi has been insisting that I've been in bed for too long, and I finally decided that he's right. Would you like some?"

I gaped for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, that'd be great, thanks."

Mom smiled and poured me a cup, telling me to go get changed. I obeyed and hobbled to my room to get out of my uniform. I'd been debating wearing leggings under this skirt, but I wasn't sure how that would play out with my teacher. I'd ask Anzu later.

When I went back to find Mom, she was at the table and gestured for me to sit down with her. I happily obliged.

"So how was your day?" Mom asked as I put my crutches aside.

I looked up. It seemed that this would be the first time we had one of these kinds of conversations in a while, where we just sit back and talk about our day. Mom looked a little nervous, as though she wasn't sure how I'd react. She was probably scared that I'd find it annoying. Instead, I smiled.

"It was pretty good," I said. "I met an incredibly attractive guy at school. I think he was a new student or something."

"Oh?" Mom snickered, seemingly relieved that I wasn't annoyed. "And who was this attractive young man? Did he flirt?"

"Otog- Otogu- um, I can't really remember his name," I scrunched my nose. Names are hard. "And yes, he did flirt. With me and every other girl in the school."

"Ah, better watch out for guys like that," Mom took a sip of her tea. "They're never the nicest of guys."

I hummed in agreement. "And according to Jounouchi, he was an absolute jerk."

"Who's Jounouchi?"

"One of my new friends," I replied, sipping my tea and cringing at the heat.

Mom frowned and looked sadly down at her tea. I pondered for a moment before I realized that she must have noticed that she hasn't been around enough to know that I'd made friends already. Tightening my grip on my mug, I regretted not at least telling her, even if she wasn't listening much.

"Oh," she said, putting a smile back on her face. "Have you made any other friends?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah. It was kind of weird circumstance. Jounouchi was the first one I bumped into, so I guess I would have made friends with them anyway. But then I got hit by that limo."

Mom's glance at my leg didn't pass my notice, but I took a sip of my tea to ignore it.

"Anyway," I continued. "Yugi is the one that chased after me when I ran into the street and called an ambulance. So he and Jounouchi visited me in the hospital, and when I went back to school they said I could hang out with them. That's when I met their other friends, Honda and Anzu. They're really strange people, actually. It's almost abnormal how they accept people into their group so easily."

"I see," Mom tapped the side of her mug in thought. "So Jounouchi, Yugi, Honda, and Anzu. You've made four friends more quickly here than you made three back in America."

I snorted. "Well these guys are the ones doing all the work. To them, socializing and making people feel good about themselves just comes _naturally._"

"Must be strange for you," Mom teased.

"You've no idea," I giggled.

"So why did Jounouchi not like this Otogi?" Mom asked.

"Oh, well…"

I launched into the story of what Jounouchi told me happened yesterday afternoon. Apparently, Otogi was not only the owner of the new game shop, but he was also the inventor of a new game called… Dungeon Dice Monsters? I wasn't sure. Anyway, there was this sob story involved about how it wasn't able to go into production all because Yugi beat Pegasus in Duelist Kingdom, so Otogi was super pissed at Yugi. And for some reason he decided to drag Jounouchi into it and challenged him to a duel. Jounouchi lost- I'd been appalled- and was forced to wear a dog suit. All of this had been broadcasted on TV too, so Jounouchi had been absolutely humiliated. So obviously Yugi got upset and challenged Otogi to a duel to free Jounouchi from whatever bargain was made. Yugi had to play Otogi's game though. And what do you know, he won. Yugi, for the second time, beat someone at their own game.

When Jounouchi was telling me this, I'd become lost when he said they'd all ended up friends in the end.

As I explained the story to my mom, she listened intently, nodding her head and giving appropriate responses when needed. And somewhere along the line, Mao appeared and crawled into Mom's lap, purring as she ran her hand along his back.

It felt really good to talk to Mom like this for once. It used to be that Dad and I would share stories and she would sit and just listen, but now she was engaging in the conversations. And I loved every minute of it. She was still recovering, and I knew that she would never fully heal- Dad had been the love of her life- but she's started making an effort to get better.

I was happy to say that I was proud of her.

We'd moved on from the topic of the duel and onto what my old friends were up to when there was a knock on the door. I got up and hobbled over, opening it to reveal Hideyoshi.

"Hey sunshine, would you happen to have a- _woah!_"

I yelped as a black mass of fur dashed through the opening and out of the apartment. Hideyoshi made a grab for him, but missed, and I watched as Mao was down the stairs and on the other side of the apartments in just moments. An exasperated sigh escaped my lips.

"Oops, sorry about that," Hideyoshi scratched his head. "Want me to help you get him?"

"In a minute, if I don't have him yet, that'd be great," I nodded. "You can go inside and ask Mom for what you need."

"Alright, thanks."

I grabbed my crutches and carefully made my way down the steps- it's harder than you think- before searching for the stupid cat.

"Mao!" I called, crutching around the courtyard. "Mao, please tell me you didn't run off."

I heard a meow not too far away, and made my way to it. When I rounded the corner, I saw that Mao had snagged a little mouse.

"You were chasing a _mouse?_" I asked incredulously. "Seriously? Come on, spit it out."

Mao looked up at me, the mouse still squirming in his mouth. I marveled at the fact that the mouse wasn't even hurt, just frightened.

"Oh, let me guess, you're just playing with your food, aren't you?" I bent over, gently putting my crutches aside, and reached for Mao. He growled, and I frowned.

"Just drop the mouse, please," I shifted on my knees. "You have perfectly good food in the house, and what did this little guy ever do to you?"

Mao blinked and sniffed, as though the idea had never occurred to him. I held out my hand, and was astonished when he actually dropped the mouse onto it.

"Wha-?" I gaped. The frightened mouse was at a loss for what to do, and remained frozen in my hand for a moment. I peered at it, curious as to why his instincts weren't kicking in. He should be running right now.

Being the good neighbor that I am, I gently put the mouse in the bushes on the other side of the gate. He had no problem with scurrying off. I threw a glance at Mao, who was licking his paw as if nothing had happened. Grabbing my crutches, I heaved myself up and turned to go back to my apartment, only to stop and gawk in surprise at what was in front of me.

Standing in the doorway of an apartment, the one labeled 103, a few bags of groceries in hand, was a young man who was sharing my look of astonishment.

"J-_Jounouchi?_"

"_Ren?_"

* * *

**A cliffie for you. Sort of. Did anyone actually guess beforehand? **

**I'm going to be honest and say that I have no idea what actually happened to Jounouchi's dad. So if I completely butchered the story, I sincerely apologize. But I looked up his dad on internets and found that he was only seen in one chapter of the manga throwing a beer bottle at Yugi and the gang. And maybe in Season 0 too. So I improvised. **

**Okay, so I'm playing with the timeline a little. In the anime, Otogi seemed to come right after Rebecca, but I'm pretending there was a little more time in between the episodes, so yay. The fire's coming up soon. Maybe next chapter. I don't know.**


End file.
